Deception
by CSIsnickers101
Summary: Sequel to Continuance - Nick and Sara have a huge fight and end up seperating, but someone's out to get their whole family. Will Nick and Sara ever get back together?
1. A Red Hair

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI.

A/N: this is set about 6 year after Continuance. Ava is 10, Maddie is 8 and the twins are 6. I hope you enjoy this sequel of a sequel.

A Red Hair

"Honey, I'm home," Nick announced as he swung open the front door and closed it carefully behind him, whilst juggling bags of shopping.

"I know, I saw you coming up the path and you waved at me," I shouted from the kitchen.

"Yeah, but I've always wanted to say that," he shouted back.

"And do you feel different now you have?" I asked as I appeared at the doorway.

"No, not really," Nick smiled.

I walked over to the dinning room table and with a damp cloth, wiped it down. Nick walked into the kitchen and started unpacking the groceries he had bought on his way home.

"What took you so long?" I asked.

"Warrick, he just wouldn't shut up. You would think I hadn't seen him in years. Remind me never to agree to go to breakfast with him again," Nick said. "Then I remember we needed a few things so I went shopping."

"I could've done that later," I said as I sat down in one of the dinning chairs.

"Yes, but that's why I went. One less thing for Super Mum," he smiled.

"Thank you," I smiled back.

"The kids not here?" he asked.

"No, Greg kindly came by and invited them to Catherine's house. He was going anyway, something to do with a case, so he stopped by and took our little, well not so little, angels with him," I said.

"So we're alone?" he asked. I knew where the conversation was leading.

"Yep. There's lots we could do, tidy the living room, wash the dishes, tidy the bedrooms and loads more," I said.

"Or," Nick wiggled his eyebrows.

I stood up, took his hand and guided him to the bedroom.

Later that day:

Nick and I were laying on our bed, both completely naked and all snuggled up. He was laying on his back on his side of the bed. My head was resting on his chest and I was moving my fingers up and down his six-pack.

"You working again tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah. You're not?" Nick asked as he wrapped his arm round me and, if possible, pulled me closer to him.

"No. You're gonna be shattered," I laughed.

"Are you suggesting I call in sick?" he asked.

"No, I was just pointing out that you haven't had any sleep," I said.

"Awww, you do care," he smiled.

"Of course I do. I love you," I said.

"I know," Nick smiled.

"You do know the normal response to 'I love you' is 'I love you too,' right?" I asked with a hint of flirt in my voice.

"I know, but I don't have to tell you, I just showed you," he grinned.

"Come on now, get up or you'll be late for work," I said.

With that, Nick pulled me up on top of him and kissed me long and hard on the lips. He then started planting open mouthed kisses down my neck.

"Nicky, stop," I said. "You know I want to but we can't. Firstly, you'll be late to work and secondly, we most definitely don't what to explain this to the kids if they were to walk in on us."

Nick sighed. "Fine."

"Good, now get up," I said.

"You're the one on top of me," he said.

I laughed as I rolled off of him. "That makes a change."

Nick still didn't move. I picked up a pillow from behind my head and whacked him across his face.

"Watch it Sunshine," Nick smiled.

"Or what?" I asked.

"Or I'll kick your ass," he laughed.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" I asked.

"Both," he smiled as he sat up, picked his boxer shorts up off the floor, slipped them on and walked towards the door. He turned around for one more look and winked at me before walking away.

"What are you, five?" I shouted as I heard the shower turn on.

I sighed and prepared myself to get up and dressed to. Once I was dressed, I headed into the kitchen to make some much needed coffee. As the kettle boiled, Nick finished in the shower and got changed in record speed.

"That was quick," I said.

"I do everything quick," he smiled.

"You'll never let that go, will you?" I asked.

"No, probably not."

"Coffee?" I asked.

"Yea please," he smiled as I poured out two cups of coffee.

"When are the kids due home?" Nick asked.

"Anytime now, I should think. You're gonna miss dinner, I was planning Spaghetti Bolognese," I smiled.

"Damn it," he said sarcastically.

"Are you going to work then or what?" I asked.

"Anyone would think you were trying to get rid of me," he smiled.

"I'll take that as a yes," I said as I tipped the remainder of my coffee down the sink.

"I want a kiss first," he said pointing to his cheek.

"People who want never get," I teased.

"Please," he begged.

"Fine," I leaned in to kiss his cheek but he turned his head at the last minute and we ended up in a lip lock.

"Thank you," he said.

"Go have fun collecting evidence, solving cases and getting the bad guys," I smiled.

"I will. Love you," his voice echoed as he left me in the silence.

I turned around to face the living room. It was a pig's sty. The kids, as usual, had left their toys, books, games, teddies and anything else that had made its way from their rooms, on to the floor. I sighed as I turned back to see the huge pile of dishes that had been gathering in the sink. Which did I do first? The living room floor? Or the mountain of dishes?

I settled for the dishes. At first it seemed easier, but it most definitely wasn't. I had to stop every 5 minutes to dry what I had washed. I decided to 'subtly' mention to Nick about getting a dishwasher.

Next I tackled the toys in the living room. Who knew you could stuff 6 Barbie dolls down the back of a sofa? Maddie, clearly. For an 8 year old, she acted younger than the twins at times. Where had the kids got to? Why weren't they home yet?

After my attempt at tidying Dylan's bedroom, I didn't even bother starting in the girls' bedrooms', I did a spot of spring cleaning in our room. By 'spring cleaning' I meant finally getting a chance to throw away all of Nick's shirts I didn't like. I opened the wardrobe doors and started sifting throw the clothes. I managed to fill 3 bin bags of old clothes to go to the charity shop. Then I finally came to my favourite of Nick's shirts. It was boring, a plain pale blue t-shirt but he looked so good in it. I felt like a teenager again when I thought about him in it, but that's what being with him made me feel like; happy, young and free. I took the t-shirt out to have a better look at it, when suddenly my CSI skills kicked in. Their was a hair on the right shoulder. Not just any hair, a red hair. A women's red hair.

Thanks for reading. What could the red hair mean? Next chapter won't be long, I promise. Review please.


	2. Cheat

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI.

Cheat

I was sat in our bedroom, still clutching Nick's t-shirt, on the verge of tears when the front door unlocked and slowly opened.

"Sara?" Catherine yelled. "Guys, shh, she might be asleep."

I didn't say anything.

"Sara?" Catherine yelled again.

"Maybe she's gone out," suggested Maddie.

"Maybe," Catherine sighed. She knew something must have been wrong.

"Can we watch TV?" asked Ava.

"Yeah, sure. But keep the noise down," Catherine smiled.

"Thanks Auntie Catherine," Ava and Maddie said in unison as they joined Dylan and Isla on the sofa. Ava surfed the channels for something all four of them liked.

Catherine walked along the hallway and slowly up the stairs. She continued left until she came to the master bedroom. She gently pushed the slightly closed door to reveal me sat on the bed, tears fit to burst in my eyes.

"Sara?" Catherine asked softly.

"Who else," I whispered.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Nothing," I sniffled.

"Doesn't look like nothing," Catherine said.

"Well it is, so just lay off," I snapped.

"Sar, what's up?" she asked.

"Nothing, I told you," I said, tears were slowly falling.

"Then tell me, I might be able to help," Catherine said as she sat next to me. "Why are you holding Nick's t-shirt?"

"He's cheating on me," I sniffled.

"What?" she asked looking totally confused and angry.

"Nick's cheating on me and I have the evidence to prove it," I said.

"What evidence?" Catherine asked.

"This. A red hair. At first I thought it might have your hair but it's to red," I sighed.

"That's not enough proof that he's cheating. We meet new people everyday, one of them could easily have been a red-head," she said.

"Maybe," I shrugged my shoulders.

"Have you talked to Nicky about it? He's gonna need to explain," she said.

"What's there to explain? He's a cheat, that's all I need to know," I said.

"But I just don't get it. Why would he cheat? Why would he risk losing everything he cares about?" Catherine asked.

"I thought as CSIs we don't care about the why?" I asked.

"Yes but surely as his wife you care?" Catherine tried reasoning with me.

"Our marriage is a shambles. This proves it," I said. "How could I have been so stupid? I mean, look at me. How did I not see this coming?"

"Sara you're beautiful and you don't need me to tell you, I know Nick tells you everyday," she said.

"Another lie."

"Nick doesn't lie, you know that," she was clearly getting impatient with me.

"He saved me, in more ways then one. I was a mess after the whole Grissom thing and when I fell for Nick, I should have known better," I started sobbing lightly.

"Sara, you keep saying he saved you but he needed you just as much," Catherine, once again, tried to reason with me.

"Cath, I'm damaged goods, always have been and always will be," I sniffled.

"He knows what it's like. He's been bottling things up for years," she said sympathetically.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He didn't tell you?" she asked me her own question.

"We don't tell each other anything. Considering we were friends before we got together we hardly know each other," I sighed.

Catherine looking away.

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you, it's not my secret to tell," she said softly.

"So it's a secret? How come you know and I don't?" I asked.

"He told me years ago. You should here it from him, not me," she said. She was clearly trying to avoid answering my questions.

"Just tell me, I can handle it," I said, probably sounding desperate.

Catherine sighed. "Nicky was raped by a babysitter when he was 9."

"What?"

"I'm sorry," she said.

"How come he's never said anything?" I asked as I was starting to cry again at the thought of something so horrific happening to the strongest person I knew.

"I don't know," she sighed.

"Doesn't he trust me?" I shouted.

"Keep you're voice down, the kids will here you," Catherine whispered.

"They're here?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Why'd you bring them home so late? I have to go make dinner," I said as I stood up and headed for the door but Catherine had gripped my arm and stopped me.

"I took them to MacDonald's. I'd promised Lindsey earlier this week, so I took your lot too," she said.

"You shouldn't have, I was gonna make Spaghetti Bolognese," I said as tears fell slowly. "Nick taught me how to make it."

"Sara, look at me," she said softly as she took both my hands in hers and tried to make eye contact.

"What?" I sobbed.

"Nick does love you. He loves every fibre of your being. You don't see it but we do, even Grissom. You don't see the way he looks at you. The way his eyes light up at the mere mention of your name. The way his smile, if possible, widens when you enter the room. Don't you get it Sara?" Catherine continued in her soft motherly voice. "You've got what every women wants, don't lose it."

I cried louder and harder. "That doesn't help."

"Well it should. It should make you realise that he would never cheat on you, he loves you way to much. Even more since Ava, Maddie, Dylan and Isla came along," she sucked in air as she tried to control her own emotions.

"That still doesn't explain the red hair," I sniffled.

"No, no it doesn't. Nick will have to explain that, if you give him the chance," she said as she rubbed her eyes.

"But what if he can't explain it? What if he did cheat?" I asked.

"Well then you call me, Warrick and Greg and we'll sort him out for you, ok?"

"Yeah, maybe, I don't know," I muttered.

"Just remember, I'll always be here for you," Catherine took another deep breath.

"I know."

"Mum!" Lindsey shouted from the living room.

"Coming!" Catherine shouted back.

"You should be heading off," I sniffled.

"Only if you're going to be ok? Promise me you won't do anything stupid before you talk to Nick," Catherine said.

"Promise," I smiled weakly.

"Call me if you need anything," she said as she wiped away my tears.

"I always do."

Catherine walked out the room. She was the most amazing friend I had ever had and I loved her for it. I just hoped she was right. Maybe Nick did have a good reason for the mysterious red hair, so after I could kick myself for ever thinking he'd cheat on me. That just wasn't Nick. That was why he was different to other men I had dated, I knew for a fact he would never hurt me.

Even with all those positive thoughts flying round in my head, I still couldn't shake the idea that he had cheated and that no matter what Catherine had said I would probably over react when I come fronted him with my findings.

I left the bedroom and plodded down the stairs. Catherine was stood ready to leave at the bottom.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she smiled.

"Yep," I smiled back. It was a fake smile and she could probably tell.

"Bye Auntie Catherine," Isla said.

"Bye sweetheart. Be good for you mum and dad," she said as she and hugged all 4 of my babies good bye. "See you all soon."

"Bye!" Lindsey and Catherine shouted from their car as it drove away out of sight.

"What do we do now?" Dylan asked as he closed the door.

"Mmmm, I don't know. Sleep?" I suggested sarcastically.

"No way, it's not bedtime yet," Isla protested.

"You're right, it's way past your bedtime. Go on up and brush your teeth. I'll be there in a minute," I said as I ushered them up the stairs.

"Fine," Isla sulked as she and her brother made there way to the bathroom.

"Two down, two to go," I whispered under my breath. "Come on now, you two can go as well."

I was trying to make out everything was normal but they probably worked out it wasn't. What did I expect? They had grown up around CSIs, they were bound to pick up things along the way. I really didn't want my babies to go to bed because I would be all alone in the silence and therefore would've had loads of free time to decide what I was going to say to Nick when he came home and to plan how I was going to deal with everything. I knew for a fact that it was going to be a very long night.

After Ava and Maddie shuffled off to bed, I went and tucked them all in. As usual they were fast asleep by the time I had got to their rooms. They slept so peacefully. It really was going to be a long night. What was going to happen in the morning I hadn't decided yet, but I knew Nick was going to need an extremely good explanation, else the Stokes family would be non-existent.

Thanks for reading. A long chapter again but it'll be all worth it for the next exciting chapter which should be to long. Probably a bit boring with all the speech but I hope you liked it. Review please.


	3. Get Out

Disclaimer - I still don't own CSI.

N/A: thank you so much for my reviews, I haven't had many but it keeps me believing that there is still Snickers fans out there! I love you all!

Get Out

I was laying on our bed, facing the open door. Tears were steaming from my eyes. I hadn't slept at all, I physically couldn't. Whenever I closed my eyes I could see him, the love of my life, with some tart. I felt sick at the thought of him with someone else. I was probably way over protective and over reacting but could you blame me?

It was 8:30 AM. I had watched the clock slowly tick all night long. The kids were still fast asleep as far as I could tell, and I hoped they would stay that way until Nick came home.

I suddenly heard a car door slam shut. I had no more time to think. Nick quietly entered our home, dumped his jacket and headed for our bedroom. I heard him reach the top step and sigh as he came to the door. It was now or never.

"Hey," he whispered.

I sniffled as I tried to wipe away all the evidence that I had been crying.

"Are you ok?" he asked softly. He came in and sat on the edge of the bed and carefully placed his hand on my hip.

I tried not to say anything, I didn't want to give him the satisfaction, but when I started crying again the anger almost exploded out of me.

"No, I'm not ok," I sniffled.

"What's happened?" he asked.

"As if you don't know," I said.

"Why should I know?"

"It's your fault," I sighed.

"What's my fault?" he asked.

I sat up and started laughing. "You really are clueless."

"Sar, I can't fix it if you don't tell me what I've done," he said softly.

I sobbed some more. Was he trying to make me hate him more?

"Sara, please," Nick begged. He moved his hand to push away a stray piece of hair from in front of my face but I flinched.

"Don't touch me!" I shouted.

Nick looked at me. His eyes just screamed hurt and betrayal, much like mine probably did.

"You cheated on me!" I sniffled.

"What?" he asked looking confused.

"How long has it been going on for? Weeks? Months?" I asked.

"What?" he asked again. "I'm not cheating on you."

"When then? When it did it start?"

"It hasn't, and never will," he protested.

"I don't know why you're protecting her. Who was she? Stripper? Dancer? Wouldn't surprised me, we already know you like hookers," I smiled sarcastically.

"Don't you dare bring that up," Nick snapped as he stood up.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" I said as I climbed out of bed so we were facing each other with the bed between us.

"Look Sar, I don't know what's made you think this but…"

"This, this red hair. Who was she? Do I know her?" I interrupted and throw him the t-shirt.

"What does a red hair have to do with this?" he asked.

"It proves you cheated on me," I said.

"No it doesn't," Nick protested. "We meet different people everyday, one of them could have been a redhead."

"Funny, Cath said the same thing," I chuckled.

"You told Catherine?"

"So it's true?" I asked as more tears swelled in my eyes.

"No, of course it isn't true. Why would I do something like that? Why would I sleep with some slut, when I have you?" Nick asked softly.

"Oh so I'm a slut?" I shouted.

"No, wrong choice of words. I meant why would I want more when what I've got is all I've ever wanted?"

"Cause I'm not good enough. Cause you don't do 'commitment.' any number of reasons, actually," I sniffled.

"Well I didn't cheat and I never will," Nick said.

"Somehow I just don't believe you," I chuckled.

"Well you hardly have a good track record with men," Nick snapped.

"Excuse me? Don't change the subject," I said.

"It's true, isn't it?"

"Yes. Maybe that's why I thought you'd be different," I yelled. So far, it wasn't going well.

"Honestly Sara, I don't know why you ever thought I'd cheat. I would never want to hurt you. I love you. We got married. We have 4 kids that we should be worrying about," he said.

"Don't use them against me," I said.

"I'm not. I just thought you knew me," he sighed.

"So did I."

"Now what are you doing?" he asked as I opened the wardrobe doors and pulled out a suitcase.

"Packing," I answered.

"You don't have to leave," he said.

"I know. I'm packing for you," I smirked.

"Why?"

"Um, have you not been here for the past 10 minutes? You still haven't answered my questions but quite frankly I don't give a shit," I yelled.

"There's no one else, Sara," he said in a very sympathetic voice.

"You're not gonna get any sympathy from me, you shouldn't have cheated," I sniffled.

"But I didn't!"

I ignored him as I started shoving his clothes into the bag.

"Sara, stop. We can talk this over," he said.

"That's just it Nick, we don't talk. You're not interested unless it has something to do with a case, the kids or sex," I said.

"Well let's start talking."

"No, we're well past talking," I said.

"We managed this time yesterday," Nick argued.

"See, there you go again, not thinking with your head," I shouted.

"What do you want me to say?" he yelled back.

"You can start by telling me about what happened to you when you where a kid," I said.

"What about when I was a kid?" he asked.

"The fact that you were raped when you were 9. Catherine told me," I sniffled.

"She had no right," Nick snapped.

"I know, but I begged her. It all makes sense. I know now why you wouldn't let a babysitter in the house," I said. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It never came up. And you've not exactly been open about your childhood either," Nick shouted.

"Where would you like me to start?" I yelled back.

"I don't know, how about the beginning?" he suggested sarcastically.

"Don't be sarcastic," I said as I wiped away my drying tears. "You still haven't answered my questions."

"I have, you just don't believe me."

"Oh I believe you. I believe you're lying to me," I shouted as I started to cry again.

"I'm sorry the truth isn't what you wanted to hear. I'm sorry I haven't cheated but please stop crying, I hate it when you cry," he said with tears forming in his eyes too.

"Oh shut up! You're just sorry you got found out," I said.

"No, clearly I should be sorry for loving you," he said. "Sara stop!"

"Or what?" I asked.

Nick walked round to me. He was getting so frustrated, I had never seem him like it. He raised his hand to me, as though he was about to hit me, but for some reason stopped mid-action.

"Go on Nicky, I dare you. Then our kids can turn into me," I said firmly.

"Sar, I'm…"

"Get out! You can finish packing by yourself, if you can handle it?" I said. "Then you had better be gone by the time I'm out the shower."

I throw the bag down on the bed and headed for the door.

"No, Sar, wait," Nick pleaded.

"Oh and remember to say goodbye to your children, you're not gonna see them for a while."

With that, I speed walked down the hall to the bathroom. I slammed the door shut and turned the shower on, only to mask my heartbroken sobs. I hadn't planned in the conversation turning out the way it did, I thought he would have had a genuine reason for the mysterious red hair and that I would've believed him. But for some reason I just didn't.

Nick sighed and continued packing his suitcase. He knew that no matter how much he argued with me he wouldn't win. I was just too stubborn. In the past, we had joked about what we would be in for if our children had inherited my short temper. But at that moment, it was funny.

Nick left the room and was greeted by 3 out of his 4 children gathered in the hall way.

"What's happening Daddy?" Isla asked as a tear fell down her cheek. It broke Nick's heart. The kids hated us fighting, so we rarely did. That was probably why that argument was so bitter.

"Um, Daddy's going to have to go away for a few days, is that ok?" he asked Isla as he knelt down in front of her.

"Uh-huh, I guess. When will you be back?" she asked.

"Soon princess, I promise," he smiled before sharing a short hug with his youngest daughter. "I love you."

"Love you too, daddy," she smiled as she stepped to one side for her twin brother.

"Right Dylan, you do what you're told for a change. You're gonna be the man of the house for a while, so I need you to look after your mum and keep your sisters out of trouble. Can you do that for me?" Nick asked our 6 year old son.

"Yes dad," Dylan groaned.

"That's my boy," Nick smiled as he ruffled up his son's hair.

"Daddy!" screamed Maddie as she wrapped her arms round her Daddy's neck, pushing Dylan out of the way in the process.

"I do need to breathe, Maddie," Nick coughed. "Can you try not to get into to much trouble while I'm away?"

"I'll try," Maddie giggled.

"Good girl," Nick laughed as Maddie kissed his cheek and ran off.

He stood up and expected to see Ava but she wasn't there. He sighed as he watched the other 3 disappear downstairs without a care in the world. He wanted to remember how that felt. Instead of standing in the hall listening to the shower, he walked to our eldest daughters bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Ava," Nick said as he pushed the door open.

"Bye Dad," Ava said coldly as she turned her attention to anywhere but her father.

"Angel please," Nick said.

"Just go."

"You heard everything, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes, I guess it's the price you pay for having your bedroom right next door to your parents. Rather me than the others though, huh?" Ava shrugged a shoulder as she slowly made eye contact with him.

"I wish no one heard it. I wish it hadn't even happened and none of that was said," he sighed.

"Bye," Ava said.

Nick had to squeeze his eyes shut so that he didn't burst into tears. "I love you."

Ava didn't reply.

Nick left her alone, she needed space to think. He hoped that was all I needed too. He picked up the bag of his scrupled clothes from our bed and started walking downstairs to the front door.

"Bye guys, I love you all," Nick shouted before he closed the door.

He climbed into the drivers seat of his car and thought of who he could turn to in his hour of need. Warrick was going to an out of state conference the next day, so not him. Catherine probably wouldn't let him in, he thought, and would have her hands full with Lindsey, so not her. Nick eventually was left with no option but Greg.

"I love you Sara. And no matter what you say, I'm not giving up," Nick said to himself before putting his car into reverse.

Thank you for reading. Hope you liked it. The next chapter might get a bit confusing 'cause it's gonna be in Nick's POV so I hope no one, especially me, gets confused. Review please.


	4. Greggo Knows Best

_Disclaimer - I don't own CSI._

_N/A: I just wanted to say thank you to the people who have reviewed and to clarify that yes I know 'a red hair' isn't really something that would spark a break up but as the story develops other things and other reasons will, hopefully, become clear. Oh and by the way, Nicky didn't cheat and never will! So here's the next chapter, it's from Nick's POV so I hope no one gets confused. Love you all for reading xxx enjoy!_

_Greggo Knows Best_

_I turned the radio up, to block the sound of the thoughts aching in my head. Why didn't Sara believe me? I would never have cheated on her, not only because I love her but because I would never want to hurt her; she's been hurt before, why would I put her through that again?_

_I kept my eyes glued to the road and tried to stay focused on the task in hand, getting to Greg's house in one piece. If I started thinking about anything but that, Ava's disappointed face was all I could picture in my mind. A 10 year old being disappointed in me, broke my heart._

_The roads seemed endless. Finally I saw the sigh for Greg's street just ahead. My mind raced more as I pulled into his driveway. Greg was going to have so many questions, I wasn't sure if I was ready to answer them, probably because I didn't have the answer to half of them myself._

_I took deep breaths as I rang the doorbell, my bag of belongings at my side._

"_Oh, Nick. What are you doing here?" Greg asked me as he opened the door._

"_What, no hello?" _

"_Right, sorry. Hello," he smiled sleepily._

"_I didn't wake you, did I?" I asked._

"_No, I was just watching the game, I recorded it last night," he said. "Is everything ok? You look a bit, teary."_

_I sighed and stared off into space._

"_You and Sara had a fight?" he asked._

"_Yep. And she sent me packing," I said._

"_Really? What did you do?"_

"_Nothing, but she thinks I cheated on her," I said sadly._

"_Oh Nick," Greg said sympathetically._

"_Is it ok if I stay with you for a while? Just till all of this blows over," I asked._

"_Of course, you don't even need to ask, you know you can stay," he smiled as he opened the door wider for me to come in._

"_Thanks man," I smiled back._

_I entered Greg's warm home and made myself comfy on his sofa. I liked Greg's house, but it was massive for just one person. It was going to be strange living with Greggo for a few days. That was all I hoped it would be, but I would suck it up if it meant Sara would forgive me and let me home. I didn't even know what I had supposedly done, so how could I be sorry? But maybe she would realise she was wrong. I had to stay positive._

"_You're probably gonna hate me but I have to ask. Honestly, have you had an affair?" Greg asked, his voice firmer than before._

"_I swear on my life, I did not cheat. I haven't even looked at another women since I've been with Sara," I said._

_Greg gave me a 'oh really' look._

"_Well you know what I mean."_

"_Ok, I believe you but my opinion doesn't count, do you think she'll believe you?" he asked._

"_I hope she'll see sense but I just don't know, no one, not even me can read Sara's mind," I smiled._

"_I guess you're right," he said._

"_I hope I'm right," I chuckled softly._

"_So do you want to watch the rest of the game with me?" Greg asked. _

"_Nah, I think I'll just go get some sleep, if that's ok?" I said._

"_Yeah, sure. You know where the spare room is, don't you?" he asked._

"_Which one?" I joked. "Yeah. Thanks again Greggo."_

"_Heck, it's what I'm here for," he shrugged a shoulder._

"_Enjoy the game," I said as I headed for the spare room._

"_I will if you don't snore," Greg laughed._

"_Me, snore?" I joked. _

_I disappeared into the room before Greg could reply. I was so tried. I got changed and tried to refold some of my crumpled clothes before collapsing on the bed and falling asleep._

_A few hours later:_

"_You in there?" Greg asked as I zombie walked into the kitchen._

"_Yeah, sorry," I yawned._

"_Hungry?" he asked._

"_A little bit," I replied as I stretched my arms above my head._

"_Well I don't know if I can make pancakes like Sara does but I can give it a try, if you want?" he smiled._

"_No, it's ok," I smirked._

"_What then?" he asked._

"_We could go out and get something?" I suggested._

"_What, like on a date?" Greg asked as he wiggled his eyebrows._

"_No," I gave a simple answer._

"_Good, Sara would be heart broken," he smiled._

_I rolled my eyes._

"_I could order a take away?" he offered._

"_At lunch time?" I asked._

"_Yeah, we used to do it all the time," he smiled as he walked to the pin board and picked up the take away menu's. "Pizza or kebab?" _

"_Pizza, I'm not in the mood for complicated foods," I yawed._

"_Pizza it is," he smiled._

"_It's on me though," I said._

"_No it's not, you're my guest."_

"_That invited himself. Honestly, I've got it," I said._

"_Well in that case I'll have 3 of everything," he smiled._

"_I don't think so," I said as I snatched the menus from him._

_We ordered our pizza's and they arrived quicker than either of us expected. We both must have also been hungrier than we thought 'cause they didn't last long. Greg went channel surfing for something interesting to watch. There wasn't much. We ended up watching a forensics documentary and learning how we apparently should have been collecting evidence. Basically, it was pure bullshit! _

"_You ok?" Greg asked, looking very content with his full stomach._

"_No, not really," I sighed._

"_Sara?" he asked._

"_The burden of my life," I smiled._

"_Yeah but you love her anyway."_

"_I know," I sighed again._

"_I hope you two will be able to sort this out," he said._

"_So do I," I said._

"_What else is on your mind?" Greg asked._

"_Nothing," I lied._

"_Nick, you can't lie to save your life," he smiled._

_I laughed, although it really wasn't that funny._

"_I'm being serious, you can talk to me," he said._

"_I know but I don't know where to start," I said._

"_The beginning?" he suggested._

"_You sound like Sara," I smiled._

"_Thanks," he said. "Wait, I sound like a girl?"_

"_No. It's just something she would say," I replied._

"_Good," he smiled._

"_She was right you know," I said._

"_Right about what?" he asked. _

"_About the fact that I never talk to her or tell her anything," I said sadly._

"_I bet you do," he said._

"_Well then Greggo, you would have lost that bet," I smiled._

"_Good thing I'm not a betting man," he joked._

_I sat in the awkward silence just thinking and staring off into space again. I was gonna tell him everything with proper detail. Well, maybe not everything but the stuff that mattered at that moment. I hoped he was ready for all the new information he was about to get and that he could cope and understand._

_I gulped hard as sentences formed in my brain._

"_It was a mistake," I said softly and suddenly._

"_What was a mistake?" Greg asked._

"_Everything."_

"_Everything can't have been a mistake, no one can make that many mistakes," he stated._

"_Well I can," I said._

"_Nick, you're not making any sense. What was a mistake?" he asked again._

"_This, me and Sar," I scuffed. _

"_You've lost me again," he smiled._

"_I don't know what kind of picture you guys have painted but I'm sure as hell it's nothing like what really happened," I said in a slightly angry voice._

"_Nick, calm down. Start from the beginning," he said._

_I sighed. It wasn't making any sense. I wished it would. I wished I could just say everything, just not care and tell him what I had been bottling up for years. I knew I should have told someone everything now that I had someone who cared and someone I could actually tell. But Greg was gonna have to do._

"_Ava was a mistake," I said._

"_Ava? What do you mean Ava was a mistake?" he asked._

"_Exactly that," I said. "She wasn't planned, none of this was. We were drunk. I thought we were ok even though she left but then when I found out she was pregnant… maybe I just should have let her go and get her life like she said."_

_Greg was clearly taken aback by this revelation. He sat there, frozen to the spot with his jaw on the floor. _

"_Greg?" I asked after 2 minutes when he still hadn't moved._

"_Errrr," he said. "Just a bit shocked."_

"_Sorry," I smiled._

"_Well, now that you've mentioned it, I don't actually think we thought that much about it, well I didn't anyway," he said._

"_I don't believe that," I said._

"_Maybe we speculated that Sara's pregnancy wasn't planned but she never thought that it was a one night stand."_

"_Well now you have more gossip to tell the others," I sighed._

"_I'm a changed man Nick, I never gossip," he smiled._

"_I'm glad," I said sleepily._

"_You tired?" he asked._

"_Yeah. You working tonight as well?" I asked._

"_Uh-huh, I might get some sleep too," he said. "Oh no."_

"_What?"_

"_Sara's working too," he said. _

"_Oh, right," I sulked._

"_I think Hodges is looking after the kids," he attempted a smile._

"_That doesn't help," I said._

"_I'm sorry," he said._

"_It's not your fault, Greg. We're just going to have to stay professional," I said._

"_Do you want me to tell Grissom to have you work with me?" he asked._

"_Nah, I'll tell him," I said._

_I was really quite proud of Greg. He had really grown up since Ava was born. I had thought it was 'cause he was an uncle now but maybe he grew up 'cause we did. Whatever the reason for Greg's maturity I was glad I could call him my friend._

"_Off to bed," he nodded._

"_Greggo knows best."_

_Thank you for reading. This chapter probably isn't very good and there's probably know point in it but I hope you still liked it and will continue following this story as it develops. Review please._


	5. You Don't Have To Pretend

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI, yet… watch this space!

N/A: this chapter is back in Sara's POV but don't worry, there will be another chapter in Nicky's POV and even one in Ava's. Happy Birthday Bee! Enjoy!

You Don't Have To Pretend

I rolled over on to my back and spread out like a starfish in the middle of my bed. It had been a long time since I had done that but for some reason it felt almost normal. It had been little over a day since I kicked Nick out but it felt longer. Maybe that meant I had been suspecting something was going on for longer than I had thought.

My shift started in just over an hour. I had to get up, get showered, get dressed and pretend that everything was ok to my kids and co-workers. Great. But by far the worse of all, I had to go to work and see my estranged husband. Should I have acted like everything was fine in front of him? Or make it very clear how hurt I was? How do you decided something like that?

"You getting up?" Ava asked as she appeared at the doorway.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"You don't have to pretend you're ok," she said.

"I'm not pretending," I said as I sat up.

"Off course you're not," Ava whispered under her breath as she walked away.

I stood up, walked out the room and went for a nice warm shower. After I got dried and dressed I sat and drank some well needed coffee. I mentally argued with myself as I drank it. I wasn't going to be bitter about our little marriage slip up but I wasn't going to just forget it or ever let Nick forget it. For 10 years, we had managed to stay professional at work and we were going to stay that way. The lab was no place for an argument, word would have spread fast and it could've cost us our careers. But at the same time I was hurt, bad. I did love Nick and I probably always would, and that could've been used against me.

After a good 10 minutes of pros and cons whizzing round my head I came to a decision - stay calm and stay clear. It was going to work and our friends were going to help.

"Come on Maddie," I shouted. "I want you in here before Hodges arrives."

"I'm coming," argued Maddie as she shuffled through to the living room.

"Good," I said as I kissed the top of her head.

"Bye," she said as she skipped over to the sofa to change the channel before Ava could.

*Knock, knock*

"Hiya Hodges," I smiled as I opened the door.

"Sara," he smiled and nodded back.

"They're watching TV. Good luck, and have fun," I smiled as he walked in and I walked out. "See you all soon."

I sighed as I made my way to the car. I could tell Hodges knew about my argument with Nick. Gossip really did travel fast. Where was Nick staying? Could he have been staying with Greg? If so, that could have explained how the entire lab probably knew about it. Truth be told, I didn't think there was all that much to know.

When I pulled into the car park to the lab, my heart started pounding out my chest. I was so nervous. Everyone was going to judge me, and Nick for that matter. Our personal lives had nothing to do with our work but somehow someone would always make a connection and use it against you, not always on purpose but never the less it happened. I didn't want to be judged like a suspect in custody or a victim lying on a table in the morgue. I knew none of my friends or colleagues would ever understand.

"Hey," I smiled to Catherine.

"Sara? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Working, the world doesn't stop for anything," I said.

"Are you sure it's a good idea though? Nick's working," she said.

"I know but I'm going to stay professional," I said as I sat next to her on the break room sofa.

"Ok," she sighed.

We sat in silence for a minute.

"Here comes Warrick. He doesn't know what he's missed," Catherine muttered under her breath.

"Ladies," he smiled.

"Warrick," I smiled back.

"Hey," Catherine said. She knew the conversation she was gonna have with him later.

"Where's Nick?" he asked.

Catherine and I both gulped.

"We had a bit of an argument," I said.

"Oh," he said. "Nothing to serious I hope."

Catherine mouthed 'I'll tell you later' to him and he soon shut up but then Nick came bounding in.

"Hello," he said far to cheery for me. "How is everyone?"

"Just peachy," I snapped. Why did I say that?

"Right," Nick sighed.

"Hey man, you ok?" Warrick asked.

"Yeah, good to have you back," Nick said as he patted Warrick on the shoulder.

"Good to be back," Warrick smiled then whispered, "You don't have to explain."

"Thank you," Nick whispered back.

"Howdy," Greg exclaimed as he walked into the room.

"Hello Greg," Warrick said.

"Good, you're all here," Grissom said as he followed Greg in.

"Shit," Nick thought. He had forgotten to tell Grissom about our 'little' argument.

"It's all hands on deck. Shooting at a high school, 4 dead, multiple injuries. It's gonna be a long night," he said as he looked at me.

"Ok," I said. "Come one Cath."

The tension in the room grew thick. Warrick soon worked out it was more than 'a bit of an argument'. It was serious and the night was only going to make it worse.

We arrived at the high school and were swarmed by the press. Once we finally made it inside we split up. Catherine and I started processing one of the bodies, Grissom processed one of the other bodies with Warrick and Nick and Greg swept the scene and walked around the perimeter.

"I've got another one," I said.

"That's what, our fifth bullet? We haven't even got near the body yet," Catherine stated.

"What the hell happened here?" Warrick asked.

"I'm not sure I want to know," Catherine smiled.

"David, can we check for ID on the body?" I asked the coroners assistant.

"Sure thing, he's all yours," he said before moving on to the third victim.

"Matthew Right," I said.

"Nice name. Nice school. Nice neighbourhood. And probably nice kid," Warrick said.

We all nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile Nick and Greg were finding their own fair share of bullets.

"I think that's number 13," Nick said as Greg documented another bullet.

"Unlucky for some."

"Another 9 millimetre?" Nick asked.

"Yep, I'm thinking some kind of shot gun or machine gun," he replied.

"It's a miracle only 4 people died," Nick said.

"Unlucky for some," Greg smiled.

They were nearly done with the perimeter so Nick headed inside to start on one of the other bodies.

"Hey Super Dave," Nick smiled.

"Hey. I found ID, Rebecca Maxwell, 15," David said.

"Same age as the other vics?" he asked

"Yeah, well except this one," Warrick pointed to the body in front of him. "He's nearly 17."

"How many bullets have you guys found?" asked Greg as he joined Nick and the others.

"20 something, why?" Catherine asked.

"All 9 millimetres?"

"No, we found a few 25s," Grissom said.

"There was 2 shooters?" Nick speculated.

"Makes sense, planning to shoot people in a high school could need 2 minds," Greg said.

"I'll start dusting for prints," Nick said.

"Why are you gonna dust for prints? It's a high school, there's gonna be prints everywhere," I asked.

The room fell silent. I don't think anyone expected me to even acknowledge that Nick was in the room.

"Um, we still might get lucky," Nick said.

"Fine, do what you want, you do anyway," I said.

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" I smirked.

"You just can't let go, can you?" he asked. "You've probably already turned the kids against me."

"So what if I have, you don't care. Isla sat by the phone all day, waiting for you to phone," I said.

"She did?"

"Yeah, guess she's to young to understand daddy's always let you down," I said softly.

"Just 'cause your dad let you down doesn't mean I'm gonna let my kids down," Nick snapped.

I chuckled softly. "I thought I could do this, but I can't."

I took off my gloves and throw them on the floor. I turned round to walk away but Nick reached for my arm and stopped me.

"Wait, Sara. You stay, I'll go back to the lab. I've got loads of paperwork to catch up on," he said.

He looked over to Grissom who just sighed and nodded for him to leave. He let go of my arm and brushed past me as he went outside to his car and drove away.

The rest of us stood in silence for a while. I could feel tears forming in my eyes and everyone else could clearly tell. Grissom nodded for Catherine to take me out side for some fresh air. She wrapped an arm round my shoulder and walked with me as the tears fell down my cheeks. She opened the passenger side door of her car and I slid in, only to break down more.

"Why am I doing this to myself?" I sobbed

Thank you for reading. Hope everyone liked it. Review please.


	6. Definitely

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI or any of its characters, if I did, you would definitely know about it.

Definitely

"I don't know, Sar," she said as she pulled me into a hug.

I sobbed some more. Catherine kept her arms round me, just tight enough to keep me near. I hadn't cried like that in a very long time. The last time being when I returned to work from my 3rd maternity leave. Grissom had given me a case involving child abuse. I cried myself to sleep every night for a week after that case but the difference was Nick was there and he helped me through it. Somehow Catherine's hugs just couldn't even compare to his.

"Shh," she whispered into my ear.

I took deep breaths to try and calm down.

"We're gonna help you through this," she said.

"But you shouldn't have to," I sniffled.

"Maybe not, but we are," she said as she pulled out of our hug.

"Thank you," I sighed as I wiped my eyes. "I'm so sorry for getting this upset."

"Don't be," she said as she pushed a stray piece of hair over my ear.

"This is so messed up," I said.

"But it can only get better, right?" she asked softly.

"I honestly don't know. I can't stop loving him Cath, I physically can't. Maybe I could have a few years ago, but now I have no hope in hell," I said through a small sad smile.

"Why are you putting yourself through this then?" she asked. "Just tell him and sort all this out."

"But I don't want to. I hate feeling like this but I can't just take him back after what he's done," I said.

"Did you even let him explain?"

"No, he didn't need to, the expression on his face said it all," I sniffled.

Catherine sighed.

"What do I do?" I asked.

"Don't ask me, I'm hardly good at this sort of thing," she smiled.

"I want to do what's right by the kids so part of me wants to take him back but I know for a fact if we didn't have kids then Nick would be gone in a flash," I said.

"What about what's right by you?" Catherine asked softly.

"I don't know," I smiled. "I want everything to be the way it was, 10 years ago."

"You don't mean that," she protested.

"I know but maybe that's the best thing."

"How would that be the best thing?" she asked. "You wouldn't have your 4 gorgeous babies."

"Well I would have had one, if I had just kept walking," I said.

"What?" Catherine asked.

"After Nick found out I was pregnant the first time, when he told me to raise our baby by myself and when I walked away, you came to find me and take me home," I said.

"Uh-huh," she said, encouraging me to go on.

"If I had just kept walking. If I hadn't excepted his apology, this would have turned out differently, heck, we wouldn't even be having this conversation," I said.

"So you're begrudging Maddie and the twins life?"

"No of course I'm not. But sometimes I just wonder what my life would be like now, if I had kept walking," I sighed.

"Well, you would be a single parent, which, trust me, isn't fun. You might not be doing the job that you love. And probably worse of all, you would have no one," Catherine said firmly.

"What do I do Cath?" I asked again as I rubbed my hands up and down my face.

"I still don't know but we can work it out, together," she smiled as she squeezed my hand.

"Thank you," I smiled back.

"Do you want to go back to the lab now?" she asked.

"Yes please, if Grissom is ok with it," I said.

"We'll find out," she grinned as she closed the passenger side door, walked round the front of her car and into the drivers seat.

"Why are you being so nice to me? I'm being a bitch to one of your best friends and yet you're still here with me?" I asked.

"Everyone needs friends. And if something like this ever happened to me, I'd hope you would do the same for me," she said as she started the car engine and started reversing out the space.

"Definitely."

The car ride was quiet. Catherine probably didn't say anything to allow me to stay calm and work out what I wanted to do. She could have given me years but I knew for a fact that I would still be indecisive. What does a women do when a man she loves breaks her heart? I thought back to an ex of mine, Hank. I met him on a case with Nick about 2 years after I moved to Vegas. He cheated on me. We broke up. I did feel sad but nothing like I felt with Nick. It was the kids that made me feel that way, I knew that. With Hank, it was just us, no kids, no marriage, no commitment, no complications. And it was the same with Grissom. Grissom and I had had a small, meaningless relationship a few years later. At the time I thought it was what I wanted but looking back I knew I had what I wanted. I wanted Nick.

"Are you gonna get out the car?" Catherine asked as she opened the car door. I had been so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't noticed we had arrived back at the lab.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Intensive thinking?" she asked.

"That obvious huh?" I smiled.

She raised an eyebrow at me.

"That'll be a yes then," I smiled.

"Come on, you can tell me all about it in my office," she said as we walked into the lab. We walked past the locker room where Nick was sat feeling sorry for himself. He didn't notice me so Cath and I kept walking.

"Take a seat," she smiled.

"Thanks," I said.

"Coffee?"

"Please," I sighed.

Catherine poured out two cups of freshly brewed coffee, added milk and sugar and handed me one. She sat behind her desk and drank for a moment. She stared in my direction as I took sips of my coffee.

"Do I have something on my face?" I asked.

"Um, no sorry I um, didn't mean to stare," she stuttered.

"You want to know what I'm thinking, don't you?" I asked.

"Maybe, but it's none of my business really, it's your life you can do…"

"I wanted another baby," I interrupted.

"Excuse me?" she choked.

"I want another baby."

"Sara," she sighed sympathetically.

"I know, stupid right? But I did, well I do. It's never gonna happen now though," I said.

"I don't understand you Sara. One minute you hate Nick, the next you to have another baby with him," she chuckled and shook her head in despair.

"I told you, it's messed up," I said.

"What where you thinking about in the car?" she asked.

"Past relationships."

"Grissom?" she asked.

"And others," I smiled. "I thought Grissom was the one you know."

"Really?" she asked.

"You don't need to sound so surprised," I said.

"Sorry, it's just that Nick is so different to Grissom," she smiled.

"No he's not. They're both smart, kind, caring, hard working. The only difference is Nick's younger," I said.

"And he has muscles," Catherine smiled.

"Well there is that," I smiled back. "What do I do?"

"Um, well, since you keep asking I've had a bit of time to think about it. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Listen to your heart instead of your head for a change," she answered softly.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. It was quite a comfortable silence. Catherine spoke so much sense. As we continued drinking our, coffees I thought about what to say next. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

"I know what I want to do," I said suddenly.

"Ok," Catherine said.

"I'm gonna file for divorce," I said.

"What?" she nearly choked on a mouth full of coffee.

"I'm gonna file for divorce," I said again.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's not even been 48 hours since you two fell out," she said.

"Yes, and that's why I'm doing it," I said. "I took your advice. I've thought about it to much already. I need to do this. I need to do something for myself for a change. I need to be realistic, our whole relationship was forced and went way to fast. Maybe this way everything will go back to the way it was."

"How can you say that? You've had 4 children with Nick, it's not going to back to the way it was."

Thank you for reading! And thank you to BrokenDaisy aka Bee who dedicated her latest chapter to me. I love you too! And I also love CSIforever98! Love all you other Snickers fans. Please review x


	7. The Answering Machine

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI and probably never will.

N/A: thank you for my reviews, again. And I kinda didn't mean to leave in the part when Sara wants another baby in the previous chapter, it's almost a spoiler, *hint hint.* Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, oh and I'm gonna work my butt of to finish this really soon 'cause I have an amazing idea for another Snickers story…

The Answering Machine

It had been a week since I first decided I wanted a divorce. It had to be the biggest and the hardest decision I had ever made in my entire life. But it had to be done. Catherine had been unsuccessful in changing my mind. She called me at least 10 times a day telling me what a mistake I was making. It didn't change anything though.

In usual Sara style, I buried my head in my work. It was the same when I went home. I concentrated on different cases, some unsolved and some not even mine, and any spare time I had was spent with my children. But they knew I was just putting on a brave face, Ava especially.

Catherine wasn't the only person non-stop phoning me, Nick phoned twice as much. I ignored them all which probably made Dylan and Isla more upset. They didn't understand why their Daddy wasn't at home or why I was angry and upset. I wished I didn't understand.

I went to see my lawyer the day after my break down at work. My lawyer, Sophie Hall, was all to familiar with cheating partners. I filled out paper work and sighed on the dotted line. All we needed was for Nick to sign it to and it would all be over. I felt all emotional. As much as I knew it was the right thing to do I was also sad to see ten years of marriage go down the drain. But at the end of the day marriage is just a piece of paper and a ring.

"Stokes," Nick answered his phone.

"Nick Stokes?" asked a man at the other end.

"Yes," Nick replied.

"Mr Stokes I am sorry to have to tell you this, but your wife, Sara, has filed for divorce and full custody of your 4 children," the man said.

"She's what?" Nick yelled.

"She never said anything?" he asked.

"No, she didn't," Nick sighed.

"Well, we're going to have to meet up and discuss what our next step is, I'm sure you're going to want to contest custody," he said.

"Of course, and the divorce," said Nick.

"A meeting has been scheduled for this Friday with Sara's lawyer, I'm unsure yet if Sara herself will be there but you are certainly invited and hopefully we'll be able to decide on the best way to go about contesting, for custody at least," he said.

"Ok, I will definitely be there," Nick nodded, even though he knew his lawyer wouldn't be able to see.

"I'll be in touch with more information," he said.

"Ok, thank you," Nick sighed.

"Bye for now," said the man.

"Bye."

Nick had been half way through processing the evidence he had collected from murder scene he had been put on with Catherine but suddenly the thought of his career went out the window. Divorce and FULL custody? Really? he thought. He really must have thought that everything would have gone back to normal eventually, so man was this a wake up call. Nick was obviously devastated at the thought of not only losing his wife but his children too. He never, in a million years, thought I would do that to him, but I had too, I had to make him understand how much he hurt me.

Later that day:

After a long boring day at work, I came home dumped my stuff and went to find my babies. They were sat glued to the TV while Warrick supervised from the kitchen.

"Hey Warrick," I yawned.

"You look horrible," he said.

"Oh thanks," I smirked.

"Your welcome," he said sarcastically.

"Have they been good?"

"They've been golden," he smiled.

"Good," I said as I turned my head slightly so I could watch them from the doorway.

"You've had a few phone calls," he said.

"Nick?" I asked.

Warrick nodded.

"He'll get the message eventually," I sighed.

"You should talk to him you know, Greg say's he's going insane," he said.

"It's what he deserves," I said.

"Right then, I'd best be getting out your hair," he said.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow then," I said.

"Bye guys," he said as he walked through the living room to the front door. "Yeah, have fun."

"Bye giant Uncle Warrick," smiled Isla.

Warrick rolled his eyes.

"Bye," I said as I opened the front door and then closed it after he left.

"Right then kiddies, go and get dressed, we need to do some shopping," I said as I walked back through to the living room.

All 4 of them groaned before sulking off to get dressed. Once they had gone I noticed that there was a message on the answering machine. I knew it was probably Nick but I listened to it anyway. It turned out that there was almost 20 messages from him, from different days, going back to the day after I kicked him out.

"Hey Sara, it's Nick. Just wanted to see if you and the kids where ok, sure you are. Um, I'll speak to you soon, bye," the first one said.

"Hi guys, it's me. Your clearly out so I'll have to catch you later. Love you all, bye," said the second.

I was bored already so I deleted the next 10 without even listening to them.

"Sara, it's me again. C'mon you've gotta phone me back, we need to talk, I need to know you're ok, that the kids are ok, please," said the thirteenth.

I deleted more, I wasn't interested in what he had to say. Finally, only the message from that day was left.

"Divorce, seriously? I really didn't think you would do that. We're definitely beyond talking now, huh? It's only been a week and that's what you decide to do, we could've talked it over, sorted out this little bump in the road but clearly you don't want to."

I was a bit taken aback by it. I didn't realise he would have been told so soon. I was going to do it myself, when I was ready so I was angry that he knew. He was going to contest, that was for sure.

"Mum, you ok?" Maddie asked.

"Err, yeah, just tired," I smiled.

"Ok, can we watch some more TV while you get dressed?" she asked.

"I suppose so but I'm only gonna be a minute so it's probably not worth it. Put your shoes on as you're watching please," I said as I went upstairs.

I didn't know what to do. Did I cry? Did I not care? I knew I had to be strong for the kids and that I was gonna have to tell them about the divorce sooner or later, probably sooner rather than later.

"Right, let's go," I said as I grabbed the car keys and headed for the door.

A few hours later we came home with bags full of shopping. It was the first time in a while that we had got so much stuff, normally we would pick up things that we needed during the week but under the circumstances I didn't. Once everything was unpacked and the cupboards bulging I started making dinner. Dylan and Isla went to bed not long after we had finished. They were shattered, so was I. Maddie shuffled upstairs without me even needing to tell her. Ava was allowed to watch TV for a little while longer so as she did I set about doing the dishes. They were all washed but as I was drying a plate it slipped from my grip and smashed on the floor. I fell down next to it and just burst into tears. Ava came running through.

"What happened? Are you ok mum?" she asked in a panicked voice.

"I dropped it, I'm, I'm sorry," I sniffled.

"Mum," she sighed as she lowered herself down next to me.

"I'm so sorry about all of this, you kids shouldn't have to suffer 'cause of your stupid parents," I said as I tried to smile.

"Yeah well parents are like that apparently," she smiled.

"Well that's true."

"Mum, can I ask you something?" Ava asked.

"Sure sweetheart," I said.

"Has anything ever happened to you as a CSI? It's just that I overheard Uncle Warrick and Uncle Greg talking about something to do with Dad being kidnapped. Was he kidnapped?" she asked.

I cleared my throat. "Well, first things first, yes your Dad has been kidnapped. And yes something has happened to me, I was kidnapped too. But something has happen to all of us, virtually," I said.

"You were kidnapped? Why didn't I know?" she asked.

"It's not something I like to talk about, and that's goes for all of us, you don't like to relive near death experiences," I sighed.

"You nearly died?"

"Well yeah, but I didn't so…" I trailed off.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Wow, you like to ask a lot of questions," I smiled.

"I was brought up by CSIs," she shrugged her shoulders.

"Fair enough."

"What happened to Dad then?" she asked.

"Um, ok. He thought it was a normal case, like your Uncle Warrick did," I started.

"But it wasn't?"

"No, far from it. It was a set up. A fake crime scene. The kidnapper snuck up behind your Dad and knocked him unconscious. The team had been split up into night shift and day shift but we got to work together to help find him. Soon enough, we found out what had happened, well a little bit about what had happened. Your Dad had been locked in a box and buried alive," I paused for a second as I tried not to start crying.

"Oh God," Ava said. "Go on."

"We knew this because we could watch on a live feed. The kidnapper wanted money so when Grissom went to give him the one million dollars he asked for, he blew himself up. It turned out he was the father of Kelly Gordon who was serving time for assisting in a murder. He believed that his daughter had nothing to do with it, so he took revenge on the police force. Your Dad was kidnapped at random and that's what was worse, especially for your Uncle Warrick, he nearly had that case. Eventually we tracked down where he had been buried, Kelly Gordon was no help. We got to your Dad just in time, he was being eaten alive by fire ants and so was ready to kill himself. But he didn't and he recovered and he's fine," I sniffled, half way through tears had began to form in my eyes.

"How long ago was that?" Ava asked.

"About 5 years before you were born," I said.

We sat in silence. That was the most I had ever told her about our job. Nick and I never liked to talk about it, not just 'cause of what happened to us but that we never wanted our kids to know about what we went through, want we see everyday and how it effects us, not until they where old enough at least. I guess that went out the window, huh? Sometimes I forgot that she was only 10, she acted so much older and matured than that most of the time. But she was still my little girl.

Thank you for reading. I don't actually know why I put in the Grave Danger references but I did so I hope I remembered it ok. This story is gonna get good soon, thank god. Review please.


	8. Suspect On The Scene

Disclaimer - Unfortunately I don't own CSI, the cast, crew or any of the actors, but I wish I did.

Suspect On The Scene 

"Oooh, someone looks nice," smiled Greg as I walked into the lab break room.

"Thank you," I smiled back.

Catherine gave him a glare.

"What?" he whispered. "She does."

"So, what's happening then?" I asked.

"Not much, just waiting for Grissom," Catherine replied.

"Right," I nodded.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. Where was Grissom? I just wanted to get out in the field and do my job, so I wouldn't have to think about anything else but that.

"Good, a full house," said Grissom as he walked in.

"Nick's not here," said Warrick from the back.

"I know, he got here early, I sent him out on a solo. Anyway, Sara and Greg, you two have a suspicious death," he said as he handed me the case slip.

"Cool," said Greg.

"Catherine, would you care to join me on a hit and run?" he asked.

"Do I get a choice?"

"No, not really," Grissom said, slightly sarcastically. "Warrick, your going solo too, a home invasion."

"See you later," Warrick said as he walked off.

"I'll meet you at the car," said Grissom as he walked back towards his office.

"Ok," Catherine sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You just gonna sit there?" I asked Greg.

"No," he sulked.

"Good boy," I smiled as we headed outside to my car.

Once we arrived at our crime scene, we got stuck in straight away. I did manage to stay focused enough on the dead man laying in the middle of a room not to think about the previous day, which was obviously a good thing. Nick was avoiding me but I should have been avoiding him. I guess if he wasn't I wouldn't have been happy either. Greg kept his head down and hardly spoke the whole time. He probably didn't want to get involved, and that made me sort of happy. I was glad that Greg wasn't gonna be noisy or be a backstabber. Nick probably was too.

"If I ever see printing dust again, it'll be to soon," Greg groaned.

"You done?" I asked.

"Finally," he sighed.

"Are you ready to go back to the lab then?"

"I've never been more ready," he smiled.

"C'mon then," I said as I started packing up my kit.

"I'll meet you in the car," Greg said as he began to walk towards the car.

"You gonna drive?" I asked.

"If you want," he said.

"Ok, but you might need the keys," I said stood up and walked faster to catch up with him and handed him the keys. "What's up with you today? You're not your usual happy self."

"Nothing," Greg sighed.

"Oh really?"

"I'm just tired," he said.

"Well then that's your own fault, you shouldn't have let Nick stay with you. Didn't I tell you he snores?" I asked half heartedly.

"I couldn't exactly do what you did and throw him out," he yelled as we both climbed into the car.

I was shocked, to say the least. Greg had never shouted like that, not to me, and not to anyone as far as I knew. I had seriously pushed a button. I hadn't done it on purpose and I think he knew that but wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"Greg. I'm sorry," I said softly.

"No, I should be the one saying sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," he said.

"I'll live," I said.

"I'm feel like an idiot now," Greg scuffed.

"I know," I said sympathetically.

Greg put the keys into the ignition and started the car. He slowly reversed and headed back to the lab.

When we made it back Greg got out the car and went straight inside without even saying anything. Nice, huh? I followed from a distance. I did understand what was up with him. He was stuck in the middle and I knew that if I were him I would've hated it. He was torn between friends and so was everyone else. I didn't mean for that to happen and I knew for a fact that Nick didn't either. But what can you do?

"Just got a hit on the finger prints we collected," I said as I walked into the break room.

"Ok," Greg said. He seemed happier than before which could only be a good thing.

"Aaron Baker, 33. Got a string of offences. Armed robbery, car theft, attempted rape, and that's just the start," I said as I read out the man's long file.

"So he's done time?" Greg asked as he got up from he seat and began to walk with me.

"You bet. He's been in and out through most of his adult life," I said showing him the file.

"Well he sounds like a lovely person," Greg smiled.

"Doesn't he just. But what I don't get is how our vic got involved with someone like this guy," I said.

"We might just have to ask Aaron himself."

We got a warrant from Brass for Aaron Baker's apartment. Inside we found no direct evidence linking him to our murder, other than the fact his prints were at the crime scene. Baker had an alibi though, but it wasn't so air tight as he thought. To add to all that his lawyer advised him not to say anything. We were back where we'd started.

"Now what?" Greg sulked.

"Go back to the original crime scene," said Grissom. We went to him for advice. "See if you can find anything else that could link your suspect to the murder."

"Fine," Greg rolled his eyes.

"Come on. I'll drive this time," I said.

So we went back to our crime scene. It was a lot quieter than I remembered. Once inside we looked carefully, from top to bottom, in every room. I left Greg in the master bedroom as I went to the box room at the back of the house. It was mostly empty other than a wardrobe and a desk. I searched for blood. Nothing.

Suddenly I spotted something out the corner of my eye. It was movement from inside the wardrobe. I drew out my gun and slowly approached the wardrobe door. I went to grab the handle but the door swung open and a man leaped out at me. My gun fell from my hand with the force of a man's full body weight landing on top of me and pining me to the floor.

"Suspect on the scene!" I shouted. "Get off me!"

The creep just laughed at me struggling beneath him. He tried to cover my mouth but I bit him.

"You bitch!" he yelled. "You're gonna pay for that!"

I could see it in his eyes what he wanted to do to me.

I kept screaming. "Greg, help!"

"Stand up and step away from CSI," Greg said as he appeared at the doorway with his gun pointing in my direction. "You do anything else, you get one between the eyes."

The psycho got off me and put his hands up in the air. Two police officers came from behind Greg and arrested the man. I sat up and took a deep breath. After Greg helped me up I wrapped my arms round him. He'd saved my life. I slowly pulled out of our embrace and moved my lips closer to his as if I were about to kiss him.

"Sara, stop," Greg said firmly.

It hit me that what I was doing was wrong. I felt so embarrassed.

"I'm so…" I started.

"It's ok, let's just get you back to the lab," he said. He sounded a bit embarrassed too.

Once back in the lab I got all sorts of unwanted attention, mostly from Nick.

"Where is she?" Nick asked Catherine.

"Who?" she asked.

"Sara, where is she?" he asked again. He sounded frustrated and panicky.

"The locker room, I think," she answered.

Nick shot off without saying anything.

"You're welcome," Catherine shouted after him.

He walked into the locker room to find my standing there sighing. He came over to me and hugged me. It was just a bit awkward.

"Nick get off me," I said.

"Sorry, force of habit," Nick shrugged his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," I insisted.

"Thank god," he sighed deeply.

"Well thanks for your concern but I have to finish this case and go home and be with our children. You know, if you remember what that's like," I said sarcastically.

"Hey, you're the one stopping me from seeing them," he argued.

I walked away and went off to find Greg. I seriously just had to finish the case and go home and sleep. The night seemed endless. Nick followed me out and headed for Hodges who would've hopefully had his trace results.

"No way!" Henry said.

"Shh, keep your voice down," Wendy whispered.

"Seriously?" Mandy asked.

"Apparently," Hodges whispered back.

"Where did you here this?" Henry asked.

"I overheard Greg telling Warrick," he answered.

"Sara wouldn't, surely?" Mandy asked.

"Why not, she's getting a divorce," Hodges said.

"Yeah but you don't just kiss one of your husband's best friends," Mandy whispered.

What the lab rats failed to notice was Nick hanging around the doorway of the trace lab and overhearing the entire conversation. He was obviously furious. He stomped off to find Greg. But he hadn't heard the whole thing.

"She didn't actually kiss him, she went to but stopped," Wendy added.

Nick sadly didn't hear the end part so when he found Greg all hell was about to break loose.

"Hey man, you still on for breakfast this morning?" Greg asked.

Nick didn't answer. Instead he punched Greg square on the nose, sending him flying across the DNA lab and crashing into several things. Everyone in the lab gathered round to see what was happening. Warrick made his way through the crowd to stop Nick from doing something else he would regret.

"What was that for?" Greg asked as he held he bloody nose.

"As if you don't know," Nick snapped.

"Come on Nicky let's get you out of here," Warrick said as he pulled Nick back. "Nothing to see here people, move along."

"What the hell?" Catherine asked. "Warrick, what are you doing?"

"Taking Nick home. Greg can tell you the rest," he said pointing to Greg who was still sat on the floor.

"Ok," she said, sounding confused.

"Get off me man, I can walk by myself," Nick snapped as Warrick walked him to the car.

"What the hell was that Nicky?" Warrick asked.

"I don't know," he sighed. "Guess I overreacted."

"Just a bit," Warrick said. "What was going through your head?"

"I've got no idea. Hodges overheard Greg telling you Sara tried to kiss him, and I overheard Hodges telling the rest of the lab techs. What was she thinking? She'd have something to say if I threw myself at Catherine. I wouldn't though, I couldn't do that to you," Nick said.

"What's that suppose to mean? Never mind. Look, Sara didn't kiss Greg. He said she went to but stopped, probably after realising it wasn't you," Warrick tried to explain.

"Oh God," Nick sighed. "You're joking right?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

Meanwhile:

"Greg what happened?" I asked as I walked into DNA lab.

"Ask your husband," he said as he began to stand up.

"He didn't?" I asked.

"Oh, he did."

"Greg I'm so sorry, this is all my fault," I said.

"It's ok, no real harm done I guess," Greg said. He felt sorry for Nick, he probably would have done the same if he was in his position.

"You ok Greg?" Catherine asked.

"I'm fine," he said as pulled a tissue from a tissue box and covered his nose with it.

"God, I'm gonna kill him," I exclaimed.

"No need to, he's mentally killing himself as we speak," said Warrick as he walked over to us. He had left Nick outside and had come back in to apologise on Nick's behave.

"What happened?" Catherine asked.

"He's so sorry Greg," Warrick said. "And he's sorry to you to Sara."

"Well why doesn't he tell us himself?" I asked.

"It's a pride thing. He's a bit embarrassed," Warrick explained.

"It's ok. Tell him I'm fine," Greg said.

"No don't. Greg it's not ok," I said.

"I explained everything to him, he got the wrong end of the stick and like I said, he's sorry," Warrick said.

"Sorry isn't good enough," I said.

"Sara stop being so stubborn and realise he loves you and he was just being protective!" Catherine added.

Thank you for reading! I think this is probably the longest chapter I've ever done but I hope you like it. And obviously seeing Nick being protective of Sara, how sweet? Review please.


	9. Dear Diary

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI

A/N: thanks for my reviews and thanks to Mma93, I totally know what you are saying and you so get what I'm trying to make Deception into. You understand it more than me and you can definitely say it better. Deception is about Snickers but in more ways than one. I think Deception is Snickers in a nutshell, the loyalty, being protective, the care, the support and ultimately the love they have for each other! Thank you! Anyway sorry for my rant, here's chapter 9, it's from Ava's POV. I hope you like it.

Dear Diary

I gave out the biggest sigh ever. I was so tired it was unreal. But still I couldn't bring myself to miss writing in my diary even the once. I loved writing in my diary, it was gonna be my way of looking back when I was older, a way of never forgetting even the tiniest of details in my life. So I turned my bedside lamp on and got comfy on my bed. I opened my notebook to a fresh page and chose a pretty purple pen to write with.

_Dear diary,_

_Well, waking up without dad here for the past few weeks is finally getting easier. I probably shouldn't even think about him, not after what he's done to mum but I can't help it. It feels strange. But we're dealing with it. Well, actually, I'm probably the only one who really is. Maddie asks all the time where dad is, and yes it's crossed my mind a few times but I've never asked. Dylan just keeps prancing round the house telling us what to do. Since dad told him he was going to be the man of the house he just doesn't stop, but he's only, for the first time in his life, doing what dad actually told him and so far mum hasn't even told him to stop. Isla, however, is more sensitive about it. She sat by the phone until she fell asleep the first night he was gone. That made mum sit up all night and cry and probably hate him more than she did before. Isla is such a daddy's girl and now he's not here she's not been herself. None of us have. Don't even get me started on mum. She loves dad so much she hates him, if that even makes sense. She sits up night after night and cries 'cause she doesn't know what to do. We all miss him but she just can't bring herself to say it and feel even weaker than she already does. And as for me, well… _

Suddenly I heard the phone ring. I rolled my eyes as I knew instantly who it was. Dad had been trying to call us all day and in fact most days since he left. I closed my notebook and placed it back down in my drawer before walking out my room and going to see if mum had actually answered it. As I got to the top of the stairs I could here her talking to someone. I instantly got excited. I knew that Maddie and the twins had gone to bed just before me. Was she talking to dad?

I reached the bottom step slower than normal, I didn't want mum to know I was there. I crept up to the living room door which was closed and put my ear to it. I could hear faint voices but I couldn't make out what was actually being said. I remembered about the phone in the kitchen, you could nosy into calls from it.

I carefully tip toed across the floor. I stood on one of the dining chairs to reach the phone. I had done it a few times before but for some reason that time seemed to be harder than usual. I sat down on the worktop and took a deep breath as I put the phone to my ear.

"What do you want Nick?" mum asked.

"I've forgot, I'm still in shock that you actually answered," dad replied.

"Well if you have nothing to say then…"

"No, no, I remember. You're working tomorrow, right?" he interrupted.

"Yes, why?" mum asked.

"Well I'm not," dad said.

"What's your point?" mum asked.

"Um, I thought that instead of getting someone else to look after our kids, I could do it," he said.

Mum went silent for a moment, she was obviously thinking.

"You still there?" dad asked.

"Yeah," mum replied.

"Good, so can I?" dad asked.

"I don't know…" mum started.

"Oh c'mon, I haven't seen them in weeks. Sar, you know that you and the kids are my life, please," dad begged.

"Fine, get here after I've left and don't be here when I get back," she said.

"I won't. Thank you."

"Is that it?" mum asked.

"Are the kids there?"

"They're in bed, you know that," mum said.

"I know but I thought I should at least ask," dad sulked.

"Well if that's it then," mum said. "Bye."

"Yeah, ok. Tell the kids I'll see 'em soon," he said.

I turned round to get ready to put the phone back on the hook when I must have nudged a glass that was beside me. It fell onto the floor and landed with an almighty smash.

"Damn!" I thought.

And to top it off, before I could jump down and start sweeping it up, mum came through and she wasn't happy.

"One second," she said to dad as she covered the phone and looked at the mess. "Ava what are you doing?"

"Um, getting a biscuit," I shrugged my shoulders.

She gave me a 'I don't believe you' look. "You were listening in, weren't you?"

"Maybe," I said.

"Hang on, Ava's here," mum said as she put the phone back up to her ear.

"Really? Was she listening in?" dad asked her.

"Of course she was," she replied.

"I meant to take that phone down," dad said.

"She's here now, do you want to speak to her?" mum asked.

"If she wants to," dad said.

Mum past over the phone to me and raised an eyebrow.

"Hello," I said as I, slightly reluctantly, took the phone.

"Hey angel," dad said. "Should have known you were listening in to our private conversation."

"Yeah, didn't actually think she'd speak to you," I said.

"You're as surprised as I was," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm ok, you?" I asked.

"I've been better, concrete is probably comfier than Uncle Greg's sofa," he smiled.

"Probably," I said a hint a nervousness in my voice. Suddenly as I was speaking to him I kinda realised how selfish I had been being. Mum and dad splitting up had nothing to do with me really. I had almost forgot why they had split up. I'd heard the argument, I knew why but yet I wanted my dad back.

"You still there?" he asked me.

"Yeah, sorry," I said.

"How's Maddie and the twins?" he asked.

"Ok, I think. Dylan's become such a bossy boots and Isla's kinda been the opposite. I think she misses you. And Maddie's just been asking about you all the time," I said.

"I'm sorry, about everything, about all of this," he said.

"Yeah, I know," I said, almost as if I didn't care and he could probably tell.

"How's school?" he asked.

"Not bad, got a test on Monday though," I said.

"What subject?"

"Maths, it's on area and perimeter. It's so easy," I boasted.

"Good, I'm glad you're doing ok," he said. "Well as you know I'll be seeing you tomorrow so maybe I can help you study for it."

"Yeah ok," I said half heartedly.

"You're not in the mood for talking, are you?" he asked.

"No, not really. I'm tired," I yawned.

"Ok then, I'll let you get to your bed and get some sleep. See you tomorrow," he said.

"Ok, night," I said.

"Love you."

"You too," I said as I put the phone back on the hook.

While I'd been on the phone mum had swept up all the broken glass off the floor and had gone back into the living room. It was kinda good though, whenever I was on the phone I paced and mum hated it, she said I got it from dad. I walked through to the living room, gave mum a huge hug and skipped upstairs.

"Night," she yelled after me.

As soon as I made it to my room I sat on my bed but skipped the getting comfy phase. I opened my diary at where I had left off and started writing again.

_She spoke to him! Mum actually spoke to dad! She didn't shout, scream or hang up, she actually spoke to him. Never, in a million years, would I have thought that she would've. And now after I've spoken to him too, I want mum and dad back together even more. I'll be honest, I'm not sure if I can forgive dad completely for the hurt he's caused all of us, whether he cheated or not, but mum needs him and he needs mum. But how can I get them together? _

Thank you for reading! I hope you all enjoyed it. Chapter 10 will be from Nick's POV again and it's about to get very interesting. Review please.


	10. 20 Questions

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own CSI.

N/A: Thanks again for all my reviews and thank you to those of you who have read all my new oneshots. This chapter is from Nick's POV. Enjoy!

20 Questions

I pulled up in front of my house for the first time in a long time, too long in my opinion. I mentally kicked myself as I got out my car, Sara's car was still there.

"She must be running late," I thought.

I walked towards the front door. Despite what Sara had said I was going to knock anyway, I didn't really care if she was still home, I wanted to see my kids and of course her too.

*Knock, knock*

"Isla, will you get that please," I heard Sara shout from inside.

"Daddy!" Isla screamed when she opened the front door and saw me smiling back at her.

"Hey kiddo," I said as she ran into my arms.

I picked her up and walked inside. I saw Sara walking towards us out the corner of my eye.

"Hey," she said as I slowly put Isla back on the ground.

"Hi. Look, I'm sorry. I know you said to come once you'd gone but I thought you would've already," I tried to explain.

"No, it's okay, I'm just leaving," she said.

"Cool. So, how've you been?" I asked.

"Not bad, you?" she asked awkwardly.

"Same," I smiled. "You look good."

"Thanks," she attempted a smile back.

"The kids okay?" I asked.

"Ava, Dylan," Sara shouted. "You can see for yourself."

"What?" Ava sulked as she lingered round the doorway. "Oh."

"Hi dad," smiled Dylan.

"Hey little man," I smiled back. "You gonna say bye to your mum now?"

"Bye mummy," smiled Isla.

"Yeah," Ava waved.

"Wait where's Maddie?" I asked.

"Oh she's not really been herself the past couple of days. I think she's coming down with a cold or something," Sara explained.

"Oh right, thanks," I smiled.

"I'll see you later," Sara smiled as she put on her jacket.

"Yeah, but I'll make sure I'm gone by the time you get back," I said.

Sara nodded slowly.

She opened the front door and left. We heard the car drive out of the driveway. I sighed as the kids walked away and got back to what ever they were doing. I was quite impressed, they just got on and acted like normal, guess they had become use to it.

I flopped onto the sofa and smiled when I realised the Discovery Channel was on the TV. I guessed I'd brain washed the kids into automatically watching it. I watched the programme for a few minutes until Ava came through and slouched down next to me.

I switched the TV off and turned to face her.

"So, you listened into any good phone calls recently?" I asked sarcastically.

"Just the one," she smirked.

"Ah. Learn anything interesting?" I asked.

"No, not really," Ava smiled.

"Cool. So have you studied for that maths test that you've got tomorrow?" I questioned.

"Yeah," she said as she stared off into space.

"So when did you study for this test?" I asked.

"Yesterday, I forgot to mention it," she explained.

"Oh right. Who helped you?" I asked.

"What is this, 20 questions?" she asked sarcastically. "It doesn't matter who helped me study as long as I've done it."

"Okay, there's no need to for you to be so defensive, I was just curious. I haven't seen you in over a month so I'm just interested," I reminded my 10 year old.

"And I did it by myself, if you must know," Ava lied.

I nodded and looked straight into my eldest daughters eyes.

"What?" Ava asked.

"Why are you lying to me?"

"I'm not," she protested.

"Ava, I know a liar when I see one, and you just lied to me," I explained.

"I'm not lying to you dad," she protested again.

"I just want to make sure you actually have studied, so who helped you?" I asked calmly.

"I'm not a suspect you're interrogating, so stop treating me like one," she demanded.

"Well stop lying. I thought your mum and I had raised you better than that," I said firmly.

"Fine, Uncle Greg helped me. Happy now?" she asked sarcastically, her voice was a little raised. "He's been more of a father to us than you have."

"Excuse me? What did you say?" I snapped.

"You heard me," she glared.

"I'm not in the mood for this. And you need to get an attitude adjustment young lady," I said as I stood up and began to walk to the stairs. "I'm gonna go see if the twins are ready for bed."

"You walked out on us, you don't really care," Ava sniffled as tears began to form in her eyes.

"That's not true Ava, you know it's not. You heard the argument," I protested as I turned back round to face her.

"Yeah, you cheated on mum," she nodded.

"No, I didn't," I argued.

"Only a guilty man would have left," she stating.

"Your mum wanted me gone, I thought it was for the best," I tried to explain.

"You thought it would be best to leave your kids?" Ava asked.

"Your mum is amazing. I knew she'd cope," I said.

"Well she hasn't, and I'm not even going to mention how this whole thing has effected us," she sniffled.

"Ava, you don't understand. This is adult stuff. It's hard to make the right decisions. When you're a kid, your parents do that for you," I pointed out.

"Whatever dad," she sighed.

"Angel, I'm sorry. I didn't want to leave, trust me. I didn't want to confuse or upset you kids but what other choice did I have?" I asked rhetorically.

Ava shrugged her shoulders. "Fight?"

"No one can win an argument with your mother," I smiled.

"Well you could have at least tried," she suggested.

I didn't reply. Instead, I started walking towards the stairs.

"Uncle Greg really has been more of a dad to us than you have," Ava shouted.

"Don't go there, just don't," I demanded. Did she want to start a fight?

"It's the truth. He's there if any of us ever need to talk to him, mum included. He let you stay with him when you had no where else to go. And he's not judgemental," she yelled.

"You can talk to me when ever you need to," I reminded her.

"No you're not, not really," she shook her head.

I stood there, frozen to the spot. The silence was deafening. Ava was to smart for her own good sometimes. This was the first time I'd seen her in nearly 2 months, and it wasn't going to well.

"What do you want me to say?" I shouted sarcastically.

"Oh just shut up!" she yelled back.

"Stop! Stop arguing!" Maddie yelled as she walked into the room, tears burning in her eyes.

She stormed off again before either Ava or I could say anything, or hardly even register the fact that she'd walked into the room and said anything at all.

"Well done dad," Ava smirked as she started to walk after Maddie. "Definitely a gold star moment."

I sighed as Ava stomped her way up the stairs.

"She needs to understand," I told myself, as I tried to justify arguing with her.

I sat in silence again for a few minutes, watching the second hand tick on the clock. I thought about turning on the TV but I knew nothing would stop Ava's words from echoing in my head. I though about calling Sara, telling her about the argument but she'd hate me even more.

I held my head in my hands and sighed again, when I heard what sounded like someone crying. I stood up and started walking upstairs. As I got to the top step it became clear that the crying was coming from Ava's bedroom. I reached the door and took a deep breath.

I softly knocked on the door. "Ava?"

But to my surprise as I walked in I realised Ava wasn't the one crying. It was Maddie. She was sat on Ava's bed, with Ava next to her.

"What's up darlin'?" I asked as I walked over to the bed.

She didn't answer me.

"It's okay," I said as I attempted placing my hand on her knee, but she flinched and screamed.

"Don't touch me!"

I stood there, so shocked I thought I might have thrown up. I must have looked like it to 'cause Maddie started crying harder.

"Maddie, what's wrong?" I asked as I crouched down in front of her.

She wouldn't look me in the eye.

"C'mon Maddie," Ava said softly. "Tell him what you told me."

Maddie shook her head. "No."

"What's wrong?" I asked again, I was getting seriously worried. "You can tell me."

Maddie didn't seem to trust me, so she looked to her older sister for advice. Ava nodded. Maddie took a deep breath and wiped away her eyes.

"On Friday," she started. "My teacher, Mr Reynolds, tried to hurt me," Maddie sniffled.

I felt the anger fill my body, it was as if someone had turned on a tap. I gasped for air as I processed what my 8 year old had said. I thought about saying something, but what could I have said? Instead, I stood up and walked away. I picked up my phone and car keys on my way to the front door, and slammed it behind me as I left.

I climbed into my car. I didn't really know what I was going to do but I had to do something. I picked up my phone and searched for Warrick's number. My hands started shaking as I pushed the green call button.

"Brown," Warrick answered.

"Warrick, it's Nick. Are you busy?" I rushed.

"No not really, Catherine and Sara have even had time to go get the rest of us coffee," he chuckled. "Why do you ask?"

"Could you and Greg meet me outside the lab in about 15 minutes?" I asked.

"Why?" Warrick asked.

"Maddie said her teacher tried to hurt her," I explained.

"Oh God. Does that mean what I think it means?" he asked.

"I think it does," I sighed.

"Is Maddie okay?" Warrick asked.

"Honestly, Rick? No," I shook my head. "You up for coming, or what?"

"Hell yeah. Where are we gonna go?" he asked.

"To teach the fucking bastard a lesson."

Thank you for reading. I hope this isn't to much of a change of pace, and I hope it's not going to fast. And once again, it's long, sorry. Review please.


	11. We'll Be Fine

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI.

N/A: This chapter is back from Sara's POV and it will now stay that way. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't think it's getting to dramatic too quickly.

We'll Be Fine

Back at the Stokes house:

"Where's daddy gone?" Isla asked as she looked up at Ava with curious eyes.

"I don't know Isla," Ava shrugged her shoulders. "But you know what? Why don't we all go and watch a movie in the living room?"

"I get to pick it!" Dylan shouted as he and Isla scrambled towards the door.

"No I do!" Isla argued as they disappeared down the stairs.

"You okay Maddie?" Ava asked softly, Maddie had stayed quiet after Nick had left.

She nodded. "Let's go watch this film."

Maddie started to walk away. Ava was just behind her until she span round, dived at the window frame and locked the window. She sighed as they went downstairs and she went to the front door and locked that too, just to be safe.

Meanwhile:

"Did we get everything?" I asked Catherine as we left the coffee shop and started walking towards Catherine's car.

"I bloody hope so, I'm not going back there. How long were we waiting?" Catherine scuffed.

"30 minutes, easily," I smiled.

*Ring, ring*

I sighed as I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

"Nick," I rolled my eyes and ignored it.

"Thought you were speaking to him again?" Catherine asked.

"Yeah, but I don't want to speak to him unless it's necessary. And we're only really being civilized because of the kids," I said.

"I'm just glad you two are finally acting like grown ups," she smiled.

I glared at her but she didn't see. We walked in silence for a few moments. Nick tried to phone me again but I ignored it. We could see Catherine's car just a few metres away as a black SUV pulled up beside us as we were trying to cross the road to the car park.

"Evening," a man said from inside the SUV. "Do you ladies need a lift somewhere?"

"No thanks, we're fine," Catherine smiled.

"I wouldn't be so sure. I mean, two very beautiful single ladies wandering the streets of Las Vegas could be very dangerous," he pointed out.

"Ah, but she's…," Catherine started but I wouldn't let her finish, I knew what she was gonna say.

"We'll be fine," I insisted.

"You're cops, aren't you?" he asked, he was very persistent.

"No, crime scene investigators actually," Catherine said with a very smug look on her face.

"Ah. So you're the ones allowed under the crime tape?" he questioned.

"That's us," I nodded.

"Are you two sure you don't want to get in?" he asked again.

"Honestly," Catherine smiled politely. "My car is just over there. And besides, we're still officially on duty, so thanks but no thanks."

"You don't understand," the man said as he pulled out a gun and rested it on the car window frame. "Get in the car, now."

I raised my eyebrows at him as the coffees in my hands slipped from my grip. Catherine opened the back door of his car and looked at me. I could tell she didn't want to get in but she knew we had to. She shuffled along and I slid in next to her. I closed the door and waited for our abductor to say something.

"Good," he smiled into the rear-view mirror. "Enjoy the ride."

I squeezed my eyes shut as he started to drive. Catherine placed her hand on mine and when I opened my eyes she smiled, a slightly nervous smile. I was nervous too. What was this freak going to do to us? He definitely didn't look like a big or muscular man, he must have been 5 foot 7, if that, and I'd seem chicken legs with more meat on them than his arms. But he was young and had an attitude which would work in his favour. He was smart and well organised, he clearly knew who he was looking for. But what bugged me most was how he know where to find us? Was he some sort of hit man?

"You ladies seem quiet," the man stated.

"Well, I don't really feel that talkative," Catherine said sarcastically.

"Fair enough, Catherine," he shrugged a shoulder.

"How do you know her name?" I asked him.

"Well Sara, that will all become clear shortly," he said.

Catherine looked at me, with even more fear in her eyes. I gulped and held her hand tighter.

The car continued down a few back streets, probably to confuse us, and eventually stopped outside a semi-detached house in the middle of an estate. The man got out and opened the back door we'd got in from.

"You getting out?" he asked.

"Do I have a choice?" I asked as I stepped out, Catherine got out seconds later.

He stood behind us and pushed us along the path to the front door of the house. He told Catherine to open it. Smart thinking. Once we were inside, the man shoved us down the stairs and into the basement. Why is it always the basement?

There was 2 chairs side by side in the middle of the room, along with a few metres of rope. He made me tie Catherine's hands together and then made her do the same to me. I really struggled not to cry, it didn't help having a gun pointed in my face the entire time. He then pushed us each on to a chair and tied our ankles to the chair legs and wrapped the rest of the rope round our chests and the chair, he wasn't taking any chances.

"What are you going to do to us?" I asked calmly as he stared at us as he sat on a table on the other side of the room.

"You've surprised me Sara, I thought you would have worked it out by now. You don't even recognise me, do you?" he asked.

"Should I?" I tried to shrugged my shoulders, but I couldn't.

"Well yeah, seen as I did kidnap your eldest daughter," he nodded.

"Sam Patterson?" I asked.

"The one and only," he smirked.

"No. No, you should be in prison. What are you doing out?" Catherine asked.

"I got out on good behaviour nearly 8 years ago, guess they didn't see me as a threat," Sam said.

"After all, you only killed your wife and daughter, and then kidnapped my baby from the crime lab," I pointed out.

"Well, there is that but I never released myself. They should seriously consider looking into who gets out that place, they set free some real monsters, you know," he stated sarcastically.

"So I've heard," Catherine smirked.

"You've gotta nerve," I stated. "Coming back, after all these years and kidnapping us. What's your game?"

"Sara, I've not just come back especially to kidnap you two, I never left," he smiled.

"You mean you've lived here, right under our noses?" Catherine asked.

"Ding-a-ding-ding, we have a winner!" he said sarcastically. "Surely you could tell this took time to plan?"

"I guess. But why now? Why after 8 years decide to get your revenge?"

"I've been planning this almost since the day I got out," he explained.

I nodded. What was I doing? Making friends with our kidnapper? Maybe, I wasn't quite sure. I wanted to get him talking, he could have let something slip about where we were or he could have mentioned what he was going to do to us.

"By the way, your kids are gorgeous. And Lindsey is turning into quite the heart breaker," Sam smiled.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Catherine asked.

"Have you been following us?" I asked.

"Yes Sara, I have been following you, except I thought the common term was stalking?" he smirked.

"Great, so not only have you been living in Vegas for the past 8 years but you've been stalking us all too," Catherine rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were suppose to be the people person?" Sam asked sarcastically.

"I am, when the person isn't a killer or a kidnapper," Catherine smirked.

"What are you going to do to us?" I asked again.

"Fine, I'll ruin the surprise," he sighed. "Nothing, I'm not going to do anything to you."

"I'm lost," Catherine announced.

"But that makes no sense. Why kidnap us in the first place then?" I asked.

"Do you want me to do something to you?" he asked. "Jeez, just can't make you two happy."

"No, I don't want you to do anything to us," I said. "But I'm lost too."

Sam sighed. "Allow me to explain. You two are going to play a big part in my plan but I don't want to kill you else I wouldn't be able to get what I really want," he started to explain.

"And what do you really want?" I asked.

"Your husband, Nick Stokes," Sam smiled.

"What? Why?" Catherine snapped.

"'Cause, Nick arrested me almost eleven years ago, and seen as my last attempt at revenge failed, here I am," he smiled with pride.

"But why us?" Catherine asked. I thought it was an obvious question.

"We all know Nick would do anything for his kids…"

"Any decent man would," I interrupted.

"Yes, well as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," he smirked. "Nick will do anything for his kids, but what about his wife?"

"Of course he will," Catherine answered.

"See, I'm not so sure, I heard Nick and Sara were having marriage problems," he smiled.

"Tell me a couple who hasn't."

"Fine, but lets just wait and see what happens," Sam smiled.

Thank you for reading. I'm sorry to end it like this but I kinda really wanted to. Love you all for reading. Review please.


	12. Tell Everyone I Love Them

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI, yet…

A/N: This chapter basically picks up from where We'll Be Fine left off. Thanks again to all my reviews, from this and my oneshots. Enjoy!

Tell Everyone I Love Them

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Catherine asked.

"You'll see," Sam smiled.

"Look, enough with the games, just let us go," Catherine demanded.

"But that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" Sam laughed as he stood up and walked back up the stairs.

"Well isn't this fun?" she said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up Cath!" I insisted.

"Sorry," she rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm sorry," I smiled. "What are we gonna do?"

"I've no idea," she sighed.

"Great."

We sat in silence for a few minuets. Catherine didn't deserve to be tied up next to me, she'd done nothing wrong. It was both Nick and I who had worked on the case to try an convict Sam of killing his wife and three year old daughter but we couldn't get anything, that's why after only a year in prison he was released, and new evidence led everyone to believe their neighbour killed them. And it's for that reason that Ava was kidnapped when she was 5 months old and why Sam was after our family all over again. Why is it always Nick and I who have to get involved with people like that?

"Cath, I need you to do something for me," I said.

"Sure, anything."

"When Sam comes back I'm gonna get him to let you go," I said.

"What? No!" Catherine snapped.

"Yes, you shouldn't be here," I argued.

"So, I'm not leaving you here alone with this freak," she insisted. "And besides, he won't let me go, I can identify him."

"But if he does, promise me something?"

"It depends," she smiled.

"Promise that you'll go and won't tell anyone I'm here, or what happened?" I asked.

"Why?"

"I don't want anyone to know," I sniffled.

"Why?" she asked again.

"Sam has been stalking my family for years, he's been stalking all of us. I need to protect us all," I tried to explain.

"That's stupid," she sighed. "What are gonna be, some kind of human sacrifice?"

"Just promise me," I insisted.

"No," she argued. "I'm not letting you do that."

Before I could argue more the door opened and Sam started plodding down the stairs. I sighed as I tried to fight back the tears.

"Good, you're still here," Sam smiled as he walked back over to the table he was sat on earlier.

"Where else would we be?" Catherine asked rhetorically.

Sam smirked back.

"So, Sammy," I started.

"No, my name is Sam, not Sammy," he said.

"Right, Sam…," I paused to think of what to ask him. "Can I ask you a huge favour?"

"No. Whatever it is, no," he raised his eyebrows at me.

"I just want you to do one thing for me. Would you untie Catherine and let her go?" I asked, slightly more than sceptical after Catherine's response.

"Seriously, you had the nerve to ask?" he questioned.

"Guess I did. Look, I get why you're doing this, really, I do. But you don't want more baggage than is necessary, surely?" I asked. "Sorry Cath, I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"It's fine," she rolled her eyes. "People have said worse."

Sam sighed, what sounded like a thoughtful sigh. Was he considering to actually go throw with what I asked?

"Well?" I asked when I could take no more.

"No," he shook his head.

I squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to keep the tears from spilling out. Catherine had to get out, if something was to happen to me, she'd have to be the only women in my children's lives. I couldn't believe I was thinking that. I had to fight for my kids for as long as I could, but that was proving difficult. I was crumbling like freshly baked piece of shortbread, and I didn't like it.

"Why not Sam?" I asked, my eyes demanding an answer.

"I don't mind baggage," he smirked at Catherine.

"Argh," she repulsed at his reply.

"Sam, you've gotta let her go. It's me you want and me you've got. Catherine is of no real interest to you, not when it's about getting back at Nick or me," I pointed out.

"Fine, maybe she's not a direct link to either of you, but you still care about her, correct?" he asked sarcastically.

"Correct," I sighed.

"And Nick too?"

"Yes."

"Well there you go," he smiled.

"Sam, don't you dare make me beg," I sniffled.

"Don't then," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Please, let Catherine go," I finally begged as the tears also got the better of me. "She promises not to say a word, don't you?"

It was only at this point that I realised Catherine had been uncharacteristically quiet. I turned to face her but she tried her best to avoid eye contact with me.

"Don't you?" I asked again.

Catherine slowly raised her head to face me, her eyes looked red and stingy. She bit her lip to stop herself from saying what she knew I wanted to her to say. The room was silent. Answer me, I screamed in my head.

"I, um, I promise," she stuttered.

"Tough, I can't just take your word for it," Sam said.

"Yes you can," I argued. "Untie her, please."

Sam shook his head in a way that almost made him seem human. He seemed genuinely sad, to an extent, that he couldn't or wouldn't untie Catherine.

Suddenly, without any warning, I started crying, so hard I could have easily been mistaken for a waterfall.

Sam's eyes widened as he stared at me, in the weakest position I'd probably ever been in in all my life. I didn't want to cry like that, but that's what happens when you bottle things up for so long. Nick's voice started echoing in my head. He was telling me everything was going to be okay. He had a real talent at telling a person what they wanted to hear, whether it was true or not.

"No," he said again, and walked back up the stairs.

"Sara, please, everything is going to be fine," Catherine insisted.

"But what if it's not?" I sniffled.

"Don't say that," she said. "We're gonna be fine."

I sighed and tried to stop crying. "Okay, I believe you, for now anyway."

"Good. We just have to stay calm. He'll have his fun by keeping us here, then let us go. And if he was going to do something to us he would have by now. We have to stay positive," she reminded me.

"Okay," I nodded.

An hours later:

"Bloody hell, he's good," Catherine scuffed as she wriggled her hands to try and untie herself.

"Should have known, he's probably been practicing these knots for years," I sighed.

"He's definitely good with his hands," she smiled.

"Hang on," I said as I reached into my right front pocket of my jeans, and pulled out a pocket knife. "I knew I had it."

"You're a genius," Catherine smiled.

"I do try," I smiled back as I carefully handed it over to her. "Cut your ropes first."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes. Just do it," I insisted.

"Okay," she said as she moved it around to cut the rope tying her hands to the chair. She dropped the knife to rub her wrists.

"Ssshh," I whispered. "He'll hear us."

"Sorry," she mouthed. She picked up the knife and started sawing at the ropes on her ankles.

"Nearly there," I whispered, as I glanced back and forward from the stairs to Catherine's feet.

Just as Catherine finished untying her ankles, there was movement from above us. Sam was coming.

"Shit," Catherine scuffed as she stood up and walked behind my chair and started to cut the ropes around my wrists.

"No. What are you doing? Go, get out of here," I demanded as tears started to form in my eyes again.

"No, I can't leave you," she argued.

"Yeah you can, don't start this again," I insisted. "Go."

"No," she sniffled.

"Yes," I argued. "Go. Tell my babies I love them, tell everyone I love them, Nick included."

"You can tell them yourself," she sobbed.

"Please, go. He's coming," I said through my tears.

Catherine nodded reluctantly and ran to the fire exit door.

"I hate you for making me do this," she said as she turned around before she opened the door.

"Go!"

Catherine opened the door and ran out crying.

Meanwhile, outside the house:

"You sure this is the place?" Greg asked as he climbed out Nick's car.

"Yeah, I trust Archie knows what he's doing," Nick said. "Are you two sure you want to do this? I mean, this could be the end of your careers."

"We're going with you Nick," Warrick insisted.

"No one gets away with doing something like that to my niece and gets away with it," Greg finished Warrick's sentence.

"Thanks guys," Nick nodded as they started to walk like The Three Musketeers towards the front door of the house. "Okay, it's now or never."

Nick was about to swing open the front door when they heard crying coming from somewhere. Warrick noticed out the corner of his eye Catherine stumbling round the corner of the house.

"Catherine?" Warrick asked.

"Guys, what are you doing here?" she asked as tried to wipe her eyes.

"Um, Maddie's teacher lives here, it's a long story," Nick said.

"No, Sam freaking Patterson lives here," Catherine argued.

"What you mean…," Greg started.

"Maddie's teacher is Sam Patterson. That bastard!" Nick exclaimed.

"What are you doing here?" Warrick asked Catherine again.

"I can't tell you," Catherine sniffled.

"What do you mean you can't tell us?" asked Greg.

"She made me promise not to say anything," Catherine sighed and shook her head.

"She? Sara? Did Sara make you promise? Where is Sara?" Nick asked in a panic.

Catherine shook her head. "She'll hate me."

"Cath, you've gotta tell us," Warrick insisted in a calm voice.

Catherine gulped. "Sam kidnapped us. Sara tried to get him to let me go, but he wouldn't. I untied myself and when I went to untie Sara, Sam was coming back. She made me leave her there. I'm so sorry Nick," Catherine sniffled.

"She's okay though, right?" Greg asked.

"For now," she said as more tears came. "But she told me to tell everyone she loved them."

Thank you for reading. Sorry for leaving it the way I did. I think it may have jumped about a bit but I hope you liked it. Review please.


	13. Thank You

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI.

Thank You

Sam walked up to me and slapped me across the face.

"Bitch!" he hissed.

"I'm getting pretty used to that," I snapped, tears now smudged across my face.

"How did she get away?" he asked.

"She untied herself," I tried to explained.

"Why did she leave without you?"

"I want at least one women influencing my children," I sniffled.

"You've changed Sara, you definitely would not have cracked this easily 11 years ago," Sam stated.

"Well, 11 years ago I wasn't a wife and a mother of 4. And a person does change after having a child, I definitely grew up a lot, and so did Nick," I explained. "Surely, you changed after your little girl was born?"

"I did," he replied. "She was a lot like Ava."

"Smart and strong willed?"

Sam nodded.

"I want to know the truth Sam, did you kill her and your wife?" I asked.

Sam sighed as he sat down on the table. "No, I didn't kill them."

"Well then, I'm sorry for ever thinking you did," I sniffled.

"You were just doing your job," he nodded. "I'm the one who should be saying sorry to you, well maybe Ava, she didn't dissever to be kidnapped."

"Let me go Sam. Let's both walk away from this and forget it ever happened. I'm not gonna tell anyone, no one needs to know," I tried reasoning with him.

"I wish I could," he said.

"Why can't you? Is someone else pulling the strings?" I questioned.

"No, I just planned this to much to not go through with it," he said.

"You're not doing very well though, Catherine's gone and now it's just me," I pointed out.

"You're the important one," he argued.

I nodded and cleared my throat. Tears began to build in my eyes but this time I refused to let them go.

Suddenly there was a loud thud from upstairs, followed by, what sounded like the front door crashing open.

"Sara?" I heard Nick yell.

Sam's face fell, and he didn't seem to know what to do. I did, I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Nick, I'm here!"

Sam lunged at me. He tried to cover my mouth but I wasn't giving up this time without a fight. The sound of at least 2 people thumping down the concrete stairs ringed in my ears, and the tears exploded from my eyes when I saw that Nick was rescuing me yet again.

Warrick pulled Sam off me and flung him at the floor. Nick came to me and started untying me. I had never been more happy to see him in my entire life.

"Honey, you okay?" he asked. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

I shook my head. "I'm okay now."

A few seconds later I was wrapping my arms round him, all the thoughts of the previous months gone. I was so relieved. But how had they found me so quick? To be honest, I really didn't care.

"Thank you," I whispered to Nick as we pulled out of our hug. Then, surprisingly, I kissed him.

Warrick wanted a hug next. His sigh was almost deeper than mine. At first I didn't know why, then I remembered. Catherine.

"Is Cath okay? Have you found her?" I asked.

"Yeah, she led us to you," he smiled.

"Thank God," I sniffled.

"Let's get you to a hospital," Nick said.

"No, I'm fine, I just want to go home," I insisted.

"You are going to the hospital, whether you like it or not," Nick argued.

I rolled my eyes at his persistence, and he just smiled at me. I was starting to forgive him, but what I really wanted was for him to forgive me for all my false allegations.

Warrick was about to start walking back up the stairs when he turned round to see an empty floor. Sam was gone. He gulped hard and froze to the spot.

"Um, we seem to have lost Sam," he said slowly.

"What?" I snapped.

"How could we loose him?" Nick asked.

"I don't know. He was there a second ago, I swear," Warrick shrugged his shoulders.

"He couldn't have gone far," Nick pointed out.

"Wait if you're here then who's at home with the kids?" I asked.

"Shit!" Nick exclaimed.

"You don't think?" Warrick asked.

"I'd bet you any amount of money," Nick said firmly.

"Come on then, let's get there first," I said as I ran up the stairs and outside to the car.

"Oh Sara," Catherine sighed then smiled when she saw me come out the house, but her smile turned into a frown when she saw the anger in my eyes. "Where's the fire?"

"Sam's going to our house, where the kids are alone," I said, trying to maintain my cool.

"Seriously? This is way to much action for one day," Greg stated.

"Tell me about it," I sighed.

"Now what are you doing?" Nick asked as he and Warrick stepped outside.

"Is anyone coming?" I asked sarcastically as I got in the back of Nick's car.

"Just try and stop me," Greg smiled as he sat down in the car next to me.

"Shuffle over, I'm coming too," Catherine insisted.

"No, you're not," I argued.

"Sara, we were flirted with, hit on, tied up, and kidnapped by this idiot who wanted revenge. But you know what? Now I want revenge," Catherine raised her eyebrows at me.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Get in, then."

"Thank you."

I slid over to the middle and was soon sandwiched between Greg and Catherine.

"Well, isn't this cosy," I asked sarcastically.

"I'm driving," announced Nick.

"Well, put your foot down," I demanded.

"We'll make it Sar," Nick insisted.

I so hoped he was right. I would have cried again, but I didn't have time. My babies were all I could think about and all I had time to think about, that and the never ending road.

"Why did I fall for his lies?" I thought.

Sam had said he was sorry for kidnapping Ava and now he was going to my house to do God knows what to her and her younger siblings, why did I believe him? He seemed so genuine, and not the type of genuine that can be acted. I always had a habit of trusting and believing people who have a history of lying.

Meanwhile:

"Maddie what have you broken now?" Ava yelled after she heard a smash coming from Maddie's bedroom. "Mum's gonna kill you."

Ava didn't get a reply.

"Maddie, you okay?" she shouted.

Still no reply.

Ava decided Maddie was probably just ignoring her, too embarrassed to admit she'd broken something else in her room. Ava sighed as she started walking up to see what Maddie had done this time, leaving Isla and Dylan watching The Little Mermaid in the living room.

"Maddie," Ava shouted as she got to the top step. "Just tell me what you've broken, mum won't be that angry."

Maddie still wasn't reply. Strange. So Ava went to her door, and before she opened it could here voices coming from inside.

"Maddie, who are you…?" she asked as she walked in to find a man grabbing her 8 years old sister.

"Please, Mr Reynolds, don't hurt me," Maddie begged.

"Sam?" Ava asked in disbelief, and she slyly slipped her hand into the top drawer of the dresser in hall to reach for a gun that she wasn't suppose to know about.

"No, this is my teacher," Maddie protested.

"Maddie, he might be you teacher but he's actually Sam Patterson," Ava argued as she kept the hand she held the gun in hidden behind her back.

"I'm surprised you know who I am Ava," Sam smiled.

"Well I do. Let go of Maddie," she demanded.

"Nah, I don't think so," he smirked.

"What the hell do you want?" she asked.

"Funny, your mother said exactly the same thing."

"Mum asked that, when?" Ava questioned.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out," he smirked and covered Maddie's mouth.

"Watch it!" Ava yelled. "Hurt her and you're dead."

"Big words from a small person," he stated.

"I mean it, put her down," Ava demanded again.

Sam shook his head sarcastically, at about the same time when Maddie started wriggling to get away from his tight grip.

"I wouldn't do that, if I was you," Sam whispered in Maddie's ear.

"Sam, put Maddie down and lets talk, I haven't seen you in 10 years," Ava smiled.

"Stop asking now, you're gonna make me mad," Sam stated. "And you would hate to see me mad."

"Is that right?" Ava asked as she'd had enough of his smirks and pointed the gun at him.

Sam started to laugh. "Seriously? Where did you get that from, Dylan's toy box?"

"It's real," Ava insisted.

"Sure it is," he smirked. "If it's so real shoot me."

Ava gulped, that _had_ crossed her mind. But the anxiety of holding a fully loaded gun was slowly getting to my 10 year old.

"Are you shaking?" Sam asked.

"No."

"You're nervous, bet you've never even held a gun before," Sam said.

"So what if I haven't, doesn't take much to pull this trigger," Ava said, trying to sound braver than she was.

"Fine," he said, dropping Maddie on the floor as he throw his hands in the air. "Shoot me, I dare you."

Ava sighed.

"Do it Ava, I know you want to," Sam was starting to antagonise her.

"Don't make me have too," she said.

Sam laughed again. "You think you're so smart, don't you? Bet you don't have the guts to pull that trigger."

"I do," Ava protested.

"Go on then. Shoot me," Sam shrugged.

Ava didn't move.

"Shoot me!"

Ava started to push slightly harder on the trigger.

"Suit yourself," he sighed as he leaned down to grab Maddie who had been to scared to leave.

Ava wasn't gonna let alone ever touch Maddie again. She closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. A loud sharp bang echoed throughout the house. And we even heard it outside, as Nick drove the car into the driveway.

Thank you for reading. How was it? Was it too dramatic? I really hope not, but I know it kinda was. Review anyway.


	14. You Okay Kiddo?

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI, I am merely borrowing the television phenomenon for selfish purposes' only. Hope no one minds.

You Okay Kiddo?

Desert Palm Hospital:

"Wake up, sleepy head," Catherine smiled as I began to move around in my sleep.

"How long have you been sat there?" I yawned as I sat up.

"Not long," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, and bored," I smiled.

"But you just woke up," Catherine smiled back. "You've had tests done too?"

"Unfortunately. I don't get why we can't just go and get on with our lives," I scuffed.

"That may be hard for Ava," she sighed.

I nodded.

Before Catherine could say something else there was a knock at the door.

"Mrs Stokes?" a doctor asked as he walked into my hospital room.

"Yep, that's me," I replied.

"My name is Dr Kelly," he said. "I've got the results back on the precautionary tests we did."

"I'll leave you to it," Catherine smiled before passing the doctor stood by the door.

I nodded to Catherine as she left.

"Sorry Doctor, you were saying," I said.

"Yeah, so we got the results back," he started.

"And…," I nodded.

"And congratulations, you're pregnant," Dr Kelly smiled.

"I'm what?" I asked in disbelief.

"You're approximately 7 weeks along," he smiled.

"Right," I nodded slowly, trying to process what he'd just told me. "Anything else?"

"No, other than that you're test results are normal. You'll be free to go in a few hours," he said before turning to walk out the room.

"Thank you," I sighed.

"Would you like to see your husband now? He's been pacing since you arrived," Dr Kelly asked.

"Please, I've got some big news to tell him."

Doctor Kelly nodded and left. I still couldn't believe I was pregnant again. It did made sense, Nick and I had been 'intimate' the day before I threw him out. My periods had been late too. Why didn't I see it coming? Nick would obviously be overjoyed at the thought of being a dad again, but it wouldn't change our current situation.

"Knock, knock," Nick smiled as he walked into my hospital room. "You okay Sar?"

"Aha," I sighed. "Everyone okay?"

Nick nodded. "The twins are with Warrick and Greg in the kids playroom."

"That's the best place for Greg," I smiled.

"Ava's gone for a walk and, well you've just seen Cath," Nick stated as he sat down on the end of my bed.

I nodded. "Where's Grissom?"

"At work still, probably," Nick smiled, a sad smile.

"He couldn't even put himself out, just this once, for the closest thing he's got to family?" I asked rhetorically. "I give up."

"I know. Catherine is furious with him," he sighed.

"What about Maddie?" I asked.

"Brass is trying to talk her into making a statement," he explained.

"By the way, thanks for telling me in the ambulance that her teacher tried to rape her," I smirked.

"I did try to call," he insisted.

I sighed. "Nicky, I've got something important to tell you."

"Shoot," he smiled.

"I'm pregnant," I smiled back. "7 weeks, to be exact."

"It's mine right?" he asked.

"Of course, I wasn't the one cheating," I smirked.

Outside in the hallway:

"You stay here a second," Brass said to Maddie as he went to see why Greg was lingering at the doorway.

"She saying much?" Greg asked.

"No, but she wants her mum and dad," Brass sighed.

Greg nodded. "Nick's in seeing Sara now, he'll probably be down in a minute."

"I hope so. God, have these guys been through hell over the past few days, as if their parents splitting up wasn't bad enough," Brass sighed.

"Well, that might change soon. Nick saved her life, Sara's gonna get back with him," Greg smiled.

"You think?" Brass raised his eyebrows.

"10 bucks says I'm right," Greg smirked.

"Make it 20," Brass smiled as he shook the youngest CSI's hand.

"Have you seen Ava recently?" Greg asked.

"No, not recently. But I did see her leave this ward a little while ago," Brass shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll find her. She can't have gone far, right?" Greg asked as he turned and walked away.

After a good few minutes of hard searching, Greg eventually found Ava sat outside the waiting room, nibbling her nails

"There you are, I've been looking all over for you," Greg smiled.

"I went for a walk," Ava said bluntly.

"You okay kiddo?" Greg asked.

"What do you think?" Ava replied sarcastically.

Greg raised his eyebrows at his unofficial niece.

"Sorry," she sighed.

"No, that was a stupid question for me to ask," Greg smiled. "I should really think more sometimes."

There was a short silence. It wasn't awkward, if anything to Ava it was comforting. Just having her favourite Uncle, who she knew she could always go to, there beside her was good enough.

"Uncle Greg, have you ever killed someone?" Ava asked.

"Once," Greg sighed.

"What happened?"

"I was on my way to a crime scene, when I witnessed a gang beating up another tourist, that was the third that night. I tried to break it up, honked the horn on my car, revved the engine, shouted, anything to get them to stop. One named Demetrius James, just wouldn't. He came at me with a rock, thought I was going to be next. I drove forward and hit him. The rest of the gang came back and gave me a beating too. I saved the tourists life but Demetrius James died in hospital a few hours later," Greg explained.

"Wow, bet that was tough," Ava said, a bit in shock.

"It was. But everyone grieves differently," Greg smiled. "That's why you don't know how to feel. Trust me, we've all been there, your mum and dad more than most."

"How did you get through it?" Ava asked.

"With a lot of help from my friends and I did have a couple of counselling sessions. But I grew up a hell of a lot. Would you believe me if I said I used to be twice as funny?" Greg smiled.

"Seriously?" Ava questioned.

"Yeah, it happened right back when I was still kinda a rookie CSI. That was the first bad experience I had and freaked me out," Greg explained.

Ava nodded. "Is it good that Sam's dead?"

"Honestly, I think it is. Overall he wasn't that bad a person, but to stalk all of us for 8 years is extreme. And what he tried to do to Maddie was just inexcusable," Greg nodded.

"Yeah. I did what I had to do," Ava sniffled.

"Come on now, don't get upset," Greg insisted as he wrapped an arm round Ava's shoulder. "Sam is gone thanks to you, we probably all owe you our lives."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Ava wiped at her eyes.

"Is it working?" Greg smiled.

"Yeah, it is," Ava smiled back, through her tears.

"My work here is done."

Ava leaned in and gave her Uncle Greg one of her famous hugs, she hadn't grown out of that ability yet.

"Thank you," she whispered into his ear.

Greg opened his mouth to speak but before he could I came storming out my hospital room, with Nick just behind me.

"Sara, let's not do this again?" Nick said. "Talk to me."

"I'm pregnant, what else is there to say?" I asked sarcastically.

"Let's go back in the room alone and talk this over," Nick shouted as I started to walk away.

"No, I'm going home," I protested.

"But you can't, you haven't been discharged yet," Nick argued.

"Oh can't I?"

Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. This is probably going to be the last update until the New Year, 'cause I have another story planned and 2 Christmas one shots that will probably need to have my full attention. Review please.


	15. Don't You Dare Change

Disclaimer - I still don't own CSI.

A/N: Surprise! I know I said the last chapter was gonna be the last one of this year but I've been working on this for a few days, so Merry Christmas! Enjoy!

Don't You Dare Change

Everyone stood there, shocked for words.

"Yes, you all heard me right. I'm pregnant again," I announced slightly sarcastically.

"Sara, stop this. We need to talk," Nick insisted as he reached out to grab my arm.

"No Nicky. What's there to talk about? You got me pregnant again, so what?" I asked, and span round before he could reach my arm.

"So, we need to sort this mess out. We need to talk and work out what the hell we're gonna do," he tried to explained.

"I don't want to talk," I protested. "I want to take my children home and get on with my life."

"But what about us? No matter what, Sara, I'm still in love with you. And I'm still their dad," he argued.

"There hasn't been an 'us' for 2 months," I reminded him.

"Doesn't this change anything?"

I didn't reply.

"Answer my question," Nick demanded.

"Greg, can you take Ava and Maddie into the playroom again please?" I asked.

"Sure," Greg nodded, trying not to make eye contact.

"No, they can stay, 'cause we're going home, together," Nick argued as his frustration grew.

"No," I shook my head. "We're not."

"Sar…" he started.

"Nicky, no. Recently I've realised I ask way to much of people. Take Grissom for an example, he knows what I mean. I wanted you to give me this, that and the next thing. But it turns out you've given me the greatest gift of all; a life, a family," I sighed. "Now, I think we'll be better parents if we weren't together."

"So you're not denying that you don't love me anymore?" Nick asked.

"No."

"That makes no sense. People are suppose to get a divorce if they don't love each other anymore. I still love you and you still love me. What's wrong with that?" he asked.

"The fact that it was forced. Nick, you only ever loved me 'cause I got pregnant with Ava in the first place," I argued.

"That is not true. If it was, you still loved me," Nick shook his head. "By that logic, how do we have 4 beautiful children and another on the way?"

"You wanna know why I love you? Because you made me happy. You were the first one to make me feel like I was special. You made me laugh when I just wanted to cry. You fixed my broken heart. You looked at me like I was the one," I sniffled. "And I so desperately wanted that to be true."

"It is Sara, you know it is," Nick argued.

I shook my head. "No."

I turned around and started to walk away. I had to desperately hold back the agonising tears. I could tell by the looks on Catherine and Greg's faces that they thought I was being stupid, and to be honest, I probably was.

"I can change," Nick announced. "If that's what you want."

"No, Nicky. Don't you dare change," I said as I walked back towards him. "You're not the problem, it's me."

Nick gulped as I stared him straight in the eyes. I could see the hurt glaring back.

"If you still think I cheated…" Nick started.

"No, I know you didn't. I'm sorry I didn't believe you from the start," I sniffled as I removed my wedding ring from my ring finger and placed it down in his open hand. "I really am sorry."

I leaned in and kissed him on the lips for no more than about 30 seconds. When I pulled away he flinched forward but I, yet again, shook my head.

"Greg, can you go and get the kids again please?" I asked.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Sara, you really don't have to do this, think of the kids," Nick tried his luck once more.

"Yes I do," I said as my 4 lovely children filed out the playroom, with Warrick and Greg just behind them.

Maddie stared down at the floor. Isla tried to make eye contact with her dad but Nick's eyes were glued to me. Dylan gazed round the room waiting for someone to say something, he wanted his mummy and daddy to take him home. And Ava started to cry softy as she had once again listened into everything we had said, at least this time she wasn't alone.

"Come on, kids, say goodbye to your dad," I sighed.

"Bye daddy," Isla smiled up to Nick.

"Bye princess," Nick replied, fighting back his own tears.

"Yeah, bye," Dylan sulked.

Nick nodded back.

"Let's go," I sniffled as I tilted my head in the direction of the door and scooped Isla up into my arms. We started to walk away from Nick, as the others just looked on.

"Why are you crying mummy?" Isla asked as I sniffle again.

"Because I'm sad," I answered simply.

Nick rubbed his face with his hands as we disappeared out of sight.

"Nicky," Warrick said, breaking the silence. "You okay, buddy?"

"Do I seriously have to answer that?," Nick asked sarcastically.

Warrick shook his head. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"No, probably not."

Catherine walked over to Nick next, and slapped him straight across the face.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Nick scuffed.

"Have a guess," she smirked. "Why the hell did you just let her go?"

"I'm sick of arguing with her, Cath. She's clearly made up her mind and I just don't have the fight left in me," Nick sighed.

"Wrong answer, Nick," Greg joined in. "You don't give up, not yet. Fight for her, if you really love her and really want her walk out that door and tell her 30 more times."

"She won't listen," Nick shrugged his shoulders.

"But you won't know that until you try," Warrick pointed out.

Nick shook his head and focused his attention to my wedding ring which was still in his hand.

"Look, Nicky, don't give up, not without a descent fight first," Catherine said softly.

"I can't put the kids through it anymore," Nick sighed. "They don't know what's up from down at the moment."

"So show them. Show them daddy still, and always will, love mummy. And you never know, you might get some inside help from them," Greg half smiled.

Nick shook his head, again. "I can't let them down again."

They fell silent for a moment. Nick was still twiddling my ring around his fingers. He dropped it and it rolled across the floor and stopped at Warrick feet. Warrick bent down and picket it up.

"You know," Warrick said as he walked over to Nick and placed the ring back in his hand. "There is one thing you could do."

Nick didn't even look up, and Warrick couldn't even tell if he had been listening. But he was, Nick heard his friend loud and clear, they seemed to have the same light bulb moment.

Nick stood up and darted out the room before Catherine, Greg or Warrick could ask what he was doing. They had an idea though. Catherine fell down into the seat Nick had been sat in. She stared at the doorway, and saw Grissom shuffle in.

"Sorry I'm late, had to finish off a case," Grissom started. "So what did I miss?"

Meanwhile:

"We all set?" I asked as I climbed into the drivers seat. "Everyone strapped in?"

"Uh-huh," Isla smiled into the rear-view mirror.

"Good," I smiled. "Let's go… Oh, where's my bag?"

"You did have it," Ava said shyly.

"I know. Maybe I put it in the boot," I rolled my eyes, climbed back out the car and walked round to the back.

"Sara!" Nick called from the doorway.

"Nick?" I looked up in surprise. "Funny, I'm getting a sense of déjà vu."

"Me too. But I'm not gonna let you leave," Nick insisted.

"You don't get a choice, Nicky," I said as I slammed the car boot. "We're going home."

"I love you," he shouted.

"Would you like a medal?" I asked sarcastically.

"No. I want you to say it back, 'cause I know you feel it," Nick argued.

"You're not at all modest, are you?" I smirked. "And you know I feel the same, I told you about 5 minutes ago."

"Say it again."

"It won't change anything, Nick. I'm gonna get in my car and drive away now," I told him as I walked back to the front of the car.

"No you're not," Nick said firmly as he walked up to me.

"What are you going to do? You can't stop us," I pointed out.

"I'm gonna do this," Nick smiled as he got down on one knee and held my wedding ring in his fingers. "Marry me, again?"

Thank you so much for reading. Happy New Year everyone! Love you for reading, and best wishes for 2012, Snickers might even become a relativity. Review please.


	16. Love Is Unstoppable

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI or Rascal Flatts :D

Love Is Unstoppable

2 months later, the day of the wedding:

"Cath," I panted. "I… I, I think I'm having a panic attack!"

"Sara, calm down. Take a step back, close your eyes and have a few deep breaths," Catherine insisted.

"Okay," I nodded.

"Breathe in," she said.

I did as I was told.

"And out," she sighed.

I exhaled and repeated again and again until I was finally starting to feel less nauseous.

"I don't know why I'm so nervous and stressed out," I sighed as I flopped down on my couch, trying not to damage my wedding dress.

"It could be the fact that you're 4 months pregnant. Last time, you were barely nervous at all," Catherine smiled.

"I guess. Last time we were here I was about to walk out the church and leave Nick to marry the vicar," I smiled back.

"That's right, he got so drunk on his stag night," she laughed.

"I sure as hell hope Warrick and Greg went easy on him this time."

"Ava!" Isla called out. "Where are you?"

"What's up peanut?" I asked as she slouched down next to me.

"Ava was playing hide and seek with me, and now I've lost her," Isla sniffled.

"Ah, well she is very good at disappearing," I smiled. "Why don't you and Auntie Catherine keep looking inside and I'll check outside. Deal?"

"Okay, mummy," Isla smiled, grabbed Catherine's hand and skipped off to continue looking for her big sister.

I smiled to myself and shuffled to the back door, I could barely move in my dress. There she was, sat at the bottom of the 3 concrete steps that led out into the massive back garden.

"She's your number one fan, Ava," I smiled as I walked over to her. "You almost had Isla in tears, she thought she'd lost you."

"She just doesn't know where to look," Ava sighed.

"She's only 6," I reminded Ava. "I'm sure she'll learn, like you did."

Ava nodded.

"Look, if you're still hung up about the Sam Patterson thing…," I started.

"No, of course I'm not," she glared.

"I didn't mean that to sound the way…"

"It's fine, I've practically moved on already. I have to, right? I have to forget about it, like my parents do, like CSIs do. They forget they were buried alive, forget they were pinned under a car and got lost in the desert, forget their daughter was kidnapped and that they watched their dad die in their arms, forget they were beaten within an inch of their life, forget about all the insane things that have happened to this messed up family over the past 10 years," Ava said sarcastically, then stood up and walked past me. "But that's what you have to do."

"Angel?" I sighed.

"What?" she snapped.

"You don't have to pretend you're okay," I smiled sheepishly.

With that, Ava ran back down those few steps and flung herself into my arms.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"I know."

"There you are," Isla grinned. "Found you!"

"Yeah, you did," Ava smiled back. "Come on, Princess, I'm gonna getcha!"

"Ahhhhh," Isla shrieked.

Ava ran in the house after Isla and I slowly followed. Ava really didn't have to pretend everything was okay, we all knew it wasn't. We weren't trying to forget about the past, not really, just when something like that happens to you, you don't always love to talk about it. And we've all learned that, either from our own personal experience, or have been their for a person struggling through a tragic event.

"Mum, mum, mum!" Dylan shrieked at me, the second I stepped back in the house.

"What, what, what?" I smiled.

"Daddy's outside," he smiled back, as he pressed his nose up against the window.

Catherine heard the car pull up, and looked at me. I nearly had a heart attack. Bad luck was the last thing we needed. The kids didn't understand that, so when Warrick and Grissom stepped out the car they saw their dad and were waving like mad from the window. Nick got out and came to see them. My blood pressure had risen enormously just when the car pulled up, now it was sky high. The knock on the door came and Maddie ran to be the first to open it.

"No! Nick, you can't come in!" Catherine screamed as she shoved me into the corner of the room.

"I've got a present for Sara," he yelled back.

"I'm serious Nick. Get out! You can't see me," I shouted.

"Fine, I'll go," he said and very quickly tried to hug all four of our children at the same time. "Love you."

"Love you too," I yelled back, and peered over my shoulder to find Nick stood in the middle of the room, eyes tightly shut.

"I can't see you," he reassured me.

"That's not the point," I protested. "Go, before you curse us for the rest of our lives."

"I came to give you this," he said, bringing his arm round from behind his back and held out a beautiful little box.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Open it after I'm gone," he insisted, as he took a few steps forward and placed it in my open hand.

"Hey ladies," Warrick smiled as he and Grissom squashed into the room. "Nick, what are you doing? We told you to stay in the car."

"I'm going," Nick smiled, still with his eyes closed. "Am I allowed a kiss first?"

"No, you can wait an hour when you renew your wedding vows," Catherine reminded him.

"Fine," Nick sulked, slid out the backdoor and he was gone.

"Wow," Grissom gapped in my direction. "We may just have to hold on to Nicky when you start walking down that aisle. You look stunning."

"You really think so?" I asked. "Will Nick be okay about me wearing this again?"

"Of course he will," Warrick nodded. "Sara, you could be wearing a bin bag and Nick wouldn't care."

I smiled and gazed down at the floor.

"We best get off, got to get a Groom to a church," Warrick smiled.

Grissom and Warrick left and drove away again. Catherine looked at me at just the moment tears started streaming down my face. She gave me a 'come on now' glare and I soon stopped.

"You gonna open it then?" she asked

I lay the box flat in the palm of my hand. I could feel the tears burning in my eyes again as I lifted the lid to reveal a gorgeous love heart shaped diamond necklace. I gasped as I read the tiny card inside: To my beautiful Bride, I'll see you very soon. All my love, Tricky Nick. Catherine then helped me put it on.

"It's, um, it's perfect," I stuttered.

"You lot ready yet?" Brass asked "Car leaves in 5 minutes."

"Yep," Ava nodded.

"Sara, you ready to go get married again?" Brass asked as he walked over, handed me my bouquet of flowers and took my arm.

30 minutes later:

We arrived at the church, fashionably late, of course. Brass smiled and took my arm again. The doors opened, and there he was, staring at me from the opposite side of the room. We took slow steps down the endless red carpet, my bridesmaids, Catherine, Lindsey, Ava and Maddie right behind me, and Dylan the ring-bearer and Isla the flower girl just in front. When I finally reached Nick at the alter he too looked like he was a nervous wreck, fit to explode into tears.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, again," smiled the same vicar who had married us 8 years previously. "You may now kiss the Bride."

Without any hesitation, thankfully, Nick kissed me. The room filled with cheers, and tears, of joy. Lindsey had to pull Isla back when she wanted to dive into our arms, this was our moment. The cheers continued outside as they showered us with little heart shaped colourful pieces of paper. Nick glanced at me. He had a massive grin on his face and a slight delish glint in his eye. Out of nowhere he scooped me up into a fireman's lift.

"Nicky, put me down!" I screamed.

"No, you're mine and no one else's," he smiled. "I love you Mrs Sara Stokes."

"I love you too. I'd love you more if you'd put me down," I insisted.

Nick was about to put me down when the heavens opened, and dumped a weeks worth of rain onto the crowd in about 5 minutes. It was a mad dash for the cars, but Nick just stood there, in amongst it all, me clinging on for dear life, when he smiled.

"Isn't it good luck if it rains on your wedding day?"

The Reception:

"Hey Cowboy," I smiled as Nick walked over to Catherine and I as we were kindly guarding the food and drinks table. "You okay?"

"No," Nick started. "See, there's this very beautiful women that I really want to dance with, but I don't think she's interested."

"Ah. Have you asked her?" I smiled.

"I'm just about too," Nick winked and held out his hand for me to take. "Mrs Stokes, would you care to join me for the first dance?"

"Go on then," I rolled my eyes sarcastically. I took his hand and he guided me to the middle of the dance floor. All eyes were on us. It would have been creepy if it wasn't so romantic. The music started playing and we started swaying slowly.

Nick soon had a curious look on his face when he realised the song was quite fast for a first dance song.

"Is this Unstoppable by Rascal Flatts?" Nick whispered. "It's a bit fast, don't you think?"

"Shut up and enjoy the music," I insisted. "You left me in charge of the music, remember? And I like this song."

"Yeah, and it's the last time I do," he smiled.

When the chorus came everyone else joined us on the dance floor, not traditional of a first dance but technically that wasn't our first, first dance. Greg and Ava, Maddie and Lindsey, Catherine and Warrick, Isla and Dylan, and the others surrounded us as we all enjoyed my amazing and well fitting choice of music.

"Keep on believing, don't give in. It'll come and make you whole again. It always will, it always does. Love is Unstoppable," the majority of people sang along with the second chorus in unison, and surprisingly on key.

"Actually, this has to be the best song ever," Nick smiled and span me round, again.

We all continued humming and occasionally yelling out words until the final few lines came round again.

"Love is Unstoppable," Ava smiled to over to us.

"So you made a lot of mistakes," Catherine sang.

"Walked down the road a little sideways," Maddie chuckled.

"But love, love is Unstoppable!" Nick sang and gazed longingly into my eyes.

The song ended, but the room erupted into cheers and pleads for an encore. The next song came on, I would have stayed and danced again but my ankles were baring the brunt of my 4th pregnancy.

"I'm gonna go and sit down," I whispered.

"Stay and dance with me," Nick insisted.

"Go and dance with your Angel," I smiled as I tried to walk away.

"If I can find her," he smiled back.

I sat back down in my seat and stared out into the dance floor. It looked so perfect, at that very moment everyone looked so happy, each person dancing in their selected pairs and smiling.

It turns out Catherine was right all along. I did have what every women wanted, and he was all mine.

Thank you for reading. Deception is officially finished! Thank you all for being so patient and thanks Bee for putting up with me for this long, you helped me so much. That's the end of yet another sequel. Fear not, a new story will be along very soon. Love you all so very much. Keep the faith in Snickers! Review please.


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